Former Justice Minister Alan Shatter has said believes the Occupied Territories Bill risks doing “enormous damage” to the Irish economy if enacted.
Last month, the Government published a draft version of the Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025.
If enacted by the Oireachtas, it will ban the import of goods into Ireland from the Occupied West Bank or from East Jerusalem.
Israeli children flying kites on Mount Gerizim in the West Bank near the city of Nablus. Picture by: Alamy.com.Tánaiste Simon Harris argued the legislation would help “contribute to long-term efforts to achieve a sustainable peace on the basis of the two-State solution.”
However, his former party colleague Alan Shatter said the legislation could have unintended consequences.
“This particular bill, about which there’s been much campaigning but very little critical examination, has become a consensus measure within the political bubble,” he told Newstalk Breakfast.
“I know from my past experience as a member of the Dáil for over 30 years, that when there’s a political consensus across all parties, the difficulty is that critical faculties are suspended.
“Rather than this bill in any way remotely contributing to resolving the tragic, ongoing Israel-Gaza war, or to resolving ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“It’s really a Father Ted-like provision; of no relevance of any description for resolving conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.
“It does have the potential to do enormous damage to Ireland, to our economy, to our reputation.”
Israeli Settlements in the West Bank. Picture by: Alamy.com.Mr Shatter continued that the legislation would be of “no real benefit” to Palestinians and would make Ireland “utterly and completely irrelevant” with regards to any discussions about conflict resolution in the region.
He added that there are “minimal imports” into Ireland from the West Bank and East Jerusalem anyway.
“The bill indicates that with respect of the Irish Government, that no Jewish person should reside or work in East Jerusalem or on the West Bank,” he said.
“So, this will be the first time, a bill enacted by a European Parliament... specifically targets Jews.
“We haven’t had that since the end of the Nazi regime in 1945.”
The Irish government takes pride in its new prejudiced draft Bill, claiming to be the first country to try to ban trade with Israel.
Indeed, it might be the first time since Nazi Germany that any European govt. has promoted a law to specifically boycott goods produced within the… pic.twitter.com/cG8jYTsTzd— Dana Erlich 🇮🇱 (@DanaErlich) June 28, 2025
While the Government has said the bill is constitutional, Mr Shatter believes it is a “flagrant breach of European Union law” given Ireland’s membership of the Customs Union.
“This is an exclusive area of European Union competence and there are very specific legal positions relating to this - despite all the political rhetoric around it,” he argued.
“And also, if this bill is enacted, it will seriously impact on the post-Brexit arrangements for the free movement of goods between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.”
Today, the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade will meet to hear support and opposition to the bill.
Main image: Alan Shatter. Picture by: Leah Farrell / Photocall Ireland
