Irish Minister of Foreign Affairs Simon Harris announced that Ireland will ban the import of goods originating from Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories,.
In doing so it would become the first European Union member state to implement such a measure.
The legislation, titled the Israeli Settlements Prohibition of Importation of Goods Bill 2025, would grant authorities the power to inspect, search and arrest individuals attempting to import goods from these settlement areas.
Harris said: “Ireland is speaking up and speaking out against the genocidal activity in Gaza” and urged “every country” to pull every lever at its disposal.
Referencing a recent review by the European External Action Service (EEAS) of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, Harris pointed out that the findings included “indications” of Israeli breaches of human rights obligations in Gaza.
He also noted that Ireland, along with nine other European countries, was calling on the European Commission to “now review the obligations” of the EU under the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
“I don’t believe the European Union complies 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,” he said on June 24.
The Irish Government was not the only institution pulling away from Israel.
Irish university Trinity College Dublin said on June 4 that it would cut all ties with Israel in protest at “ongoing violations of international and humanitarian law”.
The university’s board informed students by email that it had accepted the recommendations of a task force to sever “institutional links with the State of Israel, Israeli universities and companies headquartered in Israel”.
In related development, also Ireland recognised the Palestinian State in May 2024.
