Ireland Plans Bill to Restrict Trade with Israeli Settlements in West Bank
Overview of Ireland's Proposed Legislation on Trade with Israeli Settlements
Introduction of the Bill
DUBLIN, May 21 (Reuters) - Ireland will introduce a long-promised bill seeking to curb trade with settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank to parliament in the coming weeks, Foreign Minister Helen McEntee said on Thursday.
Development and Scope of the Legislation
Ireland has been drafting the proposed legislation for the last year and has faced pressure from opposition politicians to include a ban on services as well as goods, while Israel and lawmakers in the United States want the bill scrapped.
Limitations and Legal Considerations
Sources told Reuters last October that the bill was set to be limited to goods. Earlier this year Ireland's top government lawyer raised several "significant" legal and practical issues to ministers on whether the scope could be extended to services.
International Cooperation and Commitments
"I will bring forward a piece of legislation in the coming weeks," McEntee told parliament, adding that she was hoping to publish the bill in tandem with Belgium, the Netherlands and Slovenia, who have also committed to introducing bans.
Ireland's Independent Stance
"If they decide not to, then we will still continue with ours. I'm being very clear about that," McEntee added.
Other European Union Actions
Spain has already introduced similar trade curbs, the only European Union member to so far do so.
(Reporting by Padraic Halpin; editing by William James)
