Ireland to restrict trade with the occupied Palestinian territories

Ireland’s government is trying to introduce a bill that would restrict trade with the occupied Palestinian territories after it said a UN court ruling freed Dublin to make trade decisions independently of the European Union.

The Occupied Territories Bill was first introduced in 2018 by an independent lawmaker and, despite receiving broad support in Ireland’s parliament, the government said it could not introduce it because the European Union, not member countries, is responsible for the trade policy of the bloc.

However, Foreign Minister Michael Martin said on Tuesday that an advisory opinion by the United Nations’ top court in July that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal had changed the context of how the government could advance the matter.

“Trade is an exclusive competence of the EU and therefore the government’s focus has been on achieving action at EU level,” Martin said in a statement.

“The Attorney General has made it clear that if this is not possible, there are grounds in EU law that allow states to take action at national level. It is against this background that the Government will now re-examine the Occupied Territories Bill “.

He said the bill would be reviewed and amendments prepared to bring it in line with EU law and the Irish constitution, adding that a number of complex political and legal issues still needed to be resolved.

Ireland is scheduled to hold an election in a few weeks. Martin’s coalition is favored to win, even though all the main opposition parties have long supported a ban on trade with the occupied Palestinian territories.

In May, Ireland officially recognized a Palestinian state and said it would establish diplomatic relations, angering Israel.

(Reuters)