Attorney General's advice may lead Government to consider Occupied Territories Bill
Gaelic footballer Michael Darragh MaCauley at a rally to deliver an 'Enact the Occupied Territories Bill' petition to the Dáil. A range of civil society organisations, trade unions, academics, and politicians have been campaigning to pass the bill. Picture: Stephen Collins/Collins
The Attorney General has provided legal advice to Government leaders that could lead to fresh consideration of the Occupied Territories Bill.
The bill would ban any goods or services produced, even partially, in the Israeli-occupied territories.
Taoiseach Simon Harris sought legal advice on the bill in light of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling that Israel's occupation of the Gaza strip and the West Bank is unlawful.
The Government had long maintained that there was nothing it could do to ban trade with Israel — citing the established rules of the EU that the bloc was the primary arbiter on international trade.
The bill itself would prevent Ireland from importing goods that originate from Israeli settlements, including those in the West Bank.
A Government spokesperson said:
"The ICJ July opinion creates new context for the examination of this issue.
"Formal advices will be presented to Government next week."
The European Union is looking into the obligations on EU member states in respect of the ICJ decision.
The Campaign to Pass the Occupied Territories Bill, which includes civil society organisations, trade unions, academics, and politicians, has called on the Government to now urgently work to pass the legislation.
A new legal opinion received by the organisation sets out that Ireland is permitted to pass the laws, which have been stymied in recent years due to legal advice provided to successive governments by multiple attorneys general.
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