Today, Tánaiste Simon Harris brought the Government’s draft of the renamed Occupied Territories Bill to Cabinet.
The Israeli Settlements Prohibition of Importation of Goods Bill 2025 will ban trade of goods – but not the provision of services - with the Occupied Palestinian Territory by making any import from there an offence under the Customs Act.
In response, Oxfam Ireland CEO Jim Clarken said:
"Today's outline of the Israeli Settlements Prohibition of Importation of Goods Bill 2025 brought to Cabinet by Tánaiste Simon Harris is a welcome and necessary step.
This is a landmark, precedent-setting bill that other countries will want to follow.
"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 congratulate the Irish government for progressing this Bill, building on the outstanding campaigning of Senator Frances Black and the OTB consortium.
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.
Oxfam Ireland looks forward to submitting our considered view on this draft to the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence.
The world is watching every step in the progress of this Bill, not least the Palestinian people who remain in imminent danger."
"Today's outline of the Israeli Settlements Prohibition of Importation of Goods Bill 2025 brought to Cabinet by Tánaiste Simon Harris is a welcome and necessary step.
