Ireland ‘leading the way’ with legislation to ban imports from Israel

By Rebecca Black, PA

Ireland has been praised for “leading the way” in terms of legislation that aims to ban imports from Israeli territories.

However, prominent lawyer Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh was critical of the “narrow focus on goods”, adding it risks being “little more than window dressing”.

Ms Ní Ghrálaigh, who was a member of the South African legal team accusing Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice, was part of an expert panel to discuss the Occupied Territories Bill at the Irish Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday evening.

Tánaiste Simon Harris previously said Ireland is the only country to publish legislation to ban imports from the occupied Palestinian territories, adding he would like to see other European countries consider such a move.

The Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025 is being scrutinised by the Oireachtas committee.

Ms Ní Ghrálaigh described a “matter of continuing, pressing importance on which Ireland is leading the way”.

But noting the International Court of Justice’s position that Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is unlawful and must be ended, she said Ireland is “obligated not to recognise as legal the situation” and “not to render aid or assistance in maintaining that situation”.

She said Ireland must also distinguish in its dealings, including in its trade dealings, between the territory of the State of Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory.

“Trade with Israel is trade with the state which has turned Gaza into what the United Nations secretary general describes as a killing field,” she said.

She said a revised Bill for the prohibition of trade and services with Israeli settlements and Israeli firms, and the prevention of investment relations which assist in maintaining the illegal situations created by Israel, is “a minimum required for compliance by Ireland with its international obligations”.

“It would transform the draft Bill from what risks being little more than window dressing into a truly impactful precedent-setting piece of legislation,” she said.

“However, full compliance by Ireland with its international obligations in relation to the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory would also require, in addition, a detailed, comprehensive, urgent due diligence audit of all of Ireland’s dealings with Israel, not just trade related, but all cultural, diplomatic, economic, financial, political and military relations to ensure that they do not contribute to or otherwise assist in Israel’s serious violations of peremptory norms of international law.

“Such a review is long overdue.”