Ireland to ban imports from Israeli settlements

More than a dozen members of the U.S. Congress have called for Ireland to be added to the list of countries boycotting Israel if the bill is passed.

Irish Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris said that despite opposition, Ireland “intends” to proceed with passing the bill.

This comes as global criticism of Israel has intensified following the Israeli security cabinet’s approval of a plan to occupy the city of Gaza.

A cross-party committee in Ireland has recommended that the government pass the bill and has called for the import ban on Israeli settlement goods to be extended to trade in services.

Harris stated that “Ireland is not alone in its desire to ban trade with the occupied Palestinian territories.”

Speaking to reporters, he said: “The people of Ireland, the people of Europe, and people across the world feel a deep sense of responsibility in response to the genocidal acts we are witnessing in Gaza and the starving children there, and we will use every tool available to us.”