Taoiseach defends decision not to ban services from Israeli settlements

By Cate McCurry, PA

The Taoiseach has defended a decision not to prohibit the provision of services as part of legislation to ban imports from Israeli settlements.

Micheál Martin said the movement of services is “genuinely more complex” than transferring goods.

He said he has sought further legal advice from the Attorney General Rossa Fanning on the matter.

 

Legislation to ban imports from the occupied Palestinian territories was approved by the Cabinet on Tuesday morning.

Tánaiste Simon Harris brought forward the renamed Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025.

The Government opted for fresh legislation instead of progressing the Occupied Territories Bill, first tabled in 2018.

It will now go before an Oireachtas committee for examination.

Asked to set out the legal differences between goods and services, Mr Martin said: “Goods are very tangible in terms of physical goods coming from one area to another area.

“Europe has been clear on the differential in terms of what comes from Israel and what comes from the occupied territory.

 

“That’s very clear, implementable and doable from a legislative perspective. It’s less clear in terms of services. Services for technology, financial services.

“It is genuinely more complex than goods transferring. But we will get legal advices in terms of that.

“We need to be clear and understand and that’s something I think people need to know about.

“I think all of that needs to be debated openly and transparently in the Dail when it goes to committee stage.”

Speaking on Tuesday morning, Mr Harris said Ireland will become the first country in Europe to bring forward legislation to ban trade with the occupied Palestinian territories.

“This is an important measure, because we are speaking up and speaking out on behalf of the people of Ireland in relation to this genocidal activity,” he added.

“But of course, I actually think and hope that the real benefit of publishing this legislation today will be that it may inspire other countries to do likewise, because it’s important that every country uses every lever at its disposal.

“Our own domestic legislation comes against a backdrop of two important developments in Europe yesterday.

“Firstly, we saw for the very first time a review concluded of the Association Agreement, which told us what we already knew, but stated it very clearly, that Israel is in breach of its human rights obligations.

“Secondly, Ireland joined with nine other European countries in calling on the European Commission to now review the EU’s obligations under the ICJ (International Court of Justice) advisory opinion.

“I don’t believe the European Union is in compliance with its obligations under the ICJ advisory opinion. We now want to see Europe legally review whether it’s right to have trade in goods or services at an EU level with the occupied Palestinian territories.”

Senator Frances Black, who brought forward the original Bill, welcomed the move.

 

She said: “We urgently need to see action now. I have to be clear on this, the legislation that’s agreed by Cabinet today, it’s still only draft, but the Tanaiste has committed both to me and publicly that the Government are willing to include services in the final Bill if we can get the legal details right.

“I am 100 per cent certain that we can and I’m going to hold him to that promise.”

Oxfam Ireland chief executive Jim Clarken said the move was welcome and “necessary”.

“This is a landmark, precedent-setting Bill that other countries will want to follow,” he said.

“Ireland continues its leadership and support for Palestinian people by clear intent to remove our own complicity in illegal settlements.

“We refuse to legitimise this illegal activity and the ongoing human rights abuses of Palestinian civilians.

“We will be interested to understand how services have come to be excluded from this Bill.

“In today’s world, most of us understand that all trade products – be they goods or services – represent the economic activity that allows settlements to continue to proliferate.”