Lawmakers in Dublin took a step toward implementing one of Europe's most stringent trade actions against Israel on Tuesday, passing legislation that restricts product imports from Israeli communities located in eastern Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria, AFP reported.
The legislation - titled the Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) bill - specifically targets agricultural, commercial, and residential operations by barring goods originating from "certain Israeli settlements".
Although Ireland originally spearheaded the proposal within the European Union, Spain was the first member state to enforce a series of import limitations last October.
Ireland's center-right governing coalition formulated the text following a 2024 advisory ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which asserted that Israel’s presence in Judea and Samaria, eastern Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip violates international law.
The Irish parliament advanced the bill in November of 2025, drawing sharp criticism from the US State Department, which warned the legislation could “adversely affect American businesses operating in Ireland."
Dublin has consistently ranked among the fiercest European critics of Israel's military campaign in Gaza, launched after Hamas terrorists executed an attack on Israel in October 2023.
In April of 2024, then-Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris failed to mention the hostages being held by Hamas during his first speech after being elected leader, resulting in criticism from Israel’s Foreign Ministry.
Later, Harris criticized Israel's strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, accusing Israel of a “pattern of flouting international law and disregard for rules of engagement".
A month later, Ireland joined Spain, Norway, and subsequently Slovenia in officially recognizing a Palestinian state. In response, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar instructed the closure of Israel’s embassy in Dublin, citing Ireland’s "extreme anti-Israel policies".
Tensions deepened further last month when Irish authorities issued entry bans against National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
If fully enacted, the economic fallout of the Irish ban on Judea and Samaria goods will remain largely symbolic. Total bilateral import volumes from the affected territories - consisting primarily of timber, fruits, and vegetables - amounted to less than one million euros in total between 2020 and 2024.
The bill now heads to the Irish parliament's upper chamber for final confirmation.