Labour slams Government’s weak Occupied Territories Bill
Labour slams Government’s weak Occupied Territories Bill - The Labour Party
- Time to act: ban goods and services
- Taoiseach hiding behind legal smokescreen
Labour’s Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Duncan Smith TD has sharply criticised the Government following the publication of the heads of the Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Goods) Bill. The draft legislation fails to ban services imported from illegal settlements. Deputy Smith called for the Government to urgently strengthen the Bill and to stop hiding behind undisclosed legal advice from the Attorney General.
Deputy Smith said:
“This is a moment when Ireland could lead on the international stage—but instead, we are seeing a retreat. The Taoiseach continues to rely on secret legal advice from the Attorney General to justify a watered-down version of Senator Frances Black’s Occupied Territories Bill, which has languished in Committee Stage since 2018. That original Bill covered both goods and services. It had cross-party support—including from the Taoiseach’s own party. So why are we starting from scratch now, with a weaker alternative?
“This Government’s proposed legislation fails to ban services – services like tech infrastructure and tourism which play a huge role in sustaining the occupation. Over 400 Irish legal experts have stated clearly that including services in the ban is legally sound. The only thing missing is political will.
“Once again, when pressed in the Dáil yesterday, the Taoiseach offered no explanation as to why the Government’s Bill avoids banning services. He simply repeated that the Attorney General’s advice supports the Government’s position—but that this advice won’t be shared publicly. This is not transparency.
“The scale of suffering demands action, not delay. Nearly 55,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza. Violence in the West Bank is escalating. Over 750,000 Israeli settlers now live illegally on stolen land. The time for statements of concern has passed. The time for action is now.
“If we pass this legislation with real teeth, Ireland will be the first Western country to ban trade with Israel’s illegal settlements. That would be historic. We did it before—when we became the first to ban imports from apartheid South Africa. We can and must stand on the right side of history again.”