Dublin – Saba:
The Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade in Ireland continued its hearings on Wednesday on the Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (Prohibition of Imports of Goods) Bill.
The bill, supported by the Irish government, aims to criminalize imports of products from Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which are illegal under international law.
The meeting began on Tuesday, with senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs giving a detailed presentation to members of the House of Representatives and Senate on the provisions of the bill, which was approved by the Irish Cabinet on May 27, according to Quds Press.
The bill classifies Israeli settlement products as "prohibited goods" under customs law, making them subject to fines or confiscation at the border.
Regarding services, they were exempted from the ban based on a warning from the Attorney General, who indicated that their inclusion could conflict with the rules of the European Union's single market. Several committee members pledged to challenge this during Wednesday's hearings, with the participation of Senator Frances Black, author of the original Occupied Territories Bill 2018.
Although trade with the settlements is negligible, amounting to no more than €685,000 over four years, according to official Irish estimates, Dublin, according to the Times of Israel, views this move as a "political test" that other European capitals opposed to the Israeli aggression on Gaza could emulate.
Last month, nine EU member states, led by Belgium and Spain, called on Brussels to consider imposing a comprehensive ban on settlement trade, citing last year's International Court of Justice opinion that affirmed Israel's "occupation" is illegal.
With American and European support, the Israeli enemy army has continued to commit genocidal crimes in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of 57,012 Palestinian civilians, the majority of whom are children and women, and the injury of 134,592 others. This is a preliminary toll, with thousands of victims still buried under the rubble and on the streets, unable to be reached by ambulances and rescue teams.
The Israeli enemy and its settlers also commit daily attacks and violations against the Palestinian people in the West Bank in occupied Palestine, resulting in the deaths of more than a thousand Palestinians since October 7, 2023.
The Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade in Ireland continued its hearings on Wednesday on the Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (Prohibition of Imports of Goods) Bill.
The bill, supported by the Irish government, aims to criminalize imports of products from Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which are illegal under international law.
The meeting began on Tuesday, with senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs giving a detailed presentation to members of the House of Representatives and Senate on the provisions of the bill, which was approved by the Irish Cabinet on May 27, according to Quds Press.
The bill classifies Israeli settlement products as "prohibited goods" under customs law, making them subject to fines or confiscation at the border.
Regarding services, they were exempted from the ban based on a warning from the Attorney General, who indicated that their inclusion could conflict with the rules of the European Union's single market. Several committee members pledged to challenge this during Wednesday's hearings, with the participation of Senator Frances Black, author of the original Occupied Territories Bill 2018.
Although trade with the settlements is negligible, amounting to no more than €685,000 over four years, according to official Irish estimates, Dublin, according to the Times of Israel, views this move as a "political test" that other European capitals opposed to the Israeli aggression on Gaza could emulate.
Last month, nine EU member states, led by Belgium and Spain, called on Brussels to consider imposing a comprehensive ban on settlement trade, citing last year's International Court of Justice opinion that affirmed Israel's "occupation" is illegal.
With American and European support, the Israeli enemy army has continued to commit genocidal crimes in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of 57,012 Palestinian civilians, the majority of whom are children and women, and the injury of 134,592 others. This is a preliminary toll, with thousands of victims still buried under the rubble and on the streets, unable to be reached by ambulances and rescue teams.
The Israeli enemy and its settlers also commit daily attacks and violations against the Palestinian people in the West Bank in occupied Palestine, resulting in the deaths of more than a thousand Palestinians since October 7, 2023.