Ireland to ban goods from Israeli settlements in West Bank by July
Yahoo • • world
Key Points:
- Ireland plans to pass legislation by mid-July to restrict goods trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, despite opposition from Israel, some U.S. lawmakers, and business groups.
- The bill will focus solely on goods, primarily affecting a small volume of products like fruit worth approximately €200,000 annually, after rejecting proposals to extend the ban to services trade.
- Ireland's government, critical of Israel's actions in Gaza and the West Bank, aims to align this law with similar measures being considered by Belgium, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain.
- U.S. lawmakers have warned that the bill could harm U.S.-Irish relations and impact American companies operating in Ireland, where U.S.-owned multinationals employ about 11% of the workforce.
- The legislation targets Israeli settlements deemed illegal under international law, a designation Israel disputes, citing historical, biblical, and security reasons.