Irish parliament passes bill to ban Israeli settlement goods

Ali Abunimah Rights and Accountability 24 January 2019

A bill to outlaw trade in goods from Israeli settlements has been passed by the lower house of Ireland’s parliament, a major step on its journey into law.

On Thursday, the Dáil overwhelmingly approved the Occupied Territories Bill by a vote of 78-45, dealing a big defeat to the government of Leo Varadkar, the Irish prime minister.

Frances Black, the independent senator who initiated the legislation last year, greeted the result as “amazing,” adding that “Ireland will always stand for international law and human rights, and we’re one step closer to making history.”

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Frances Black

✔@frances_black

Amazing! First the Seanad, now the Dáil: an overwhelming majority have voted for the Occupied Territories Bill 2018 and a ban on illegal #SettlementGoods! Ireland will always stand for international law + human rights, & we're one step closer to making history. Onwards

The Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territory’s) Bill 2018 has now passed Second Stage in the Dáil by 78 votes for to 45 votes against.@frances_black @MichealMartinTD @fiannafailparty pic.twitter.com/8PXhOd3tiw

— Niall Collins (@NiallCollinsTD) 24 January 2019

In December, the upper house gave its final approval to the bill, making the Seanad the first house of parliament in the world to pass legislation banning the import of goods from Israeli settlements in occupied territory, which are illegal under international law, according to Sadaka, an Irish group that helped craft the bill.

Passage in the Dáil was assured as Fianna Fáil, the second largest grouping in parliament, had given its backing to the bill, along with other opposition parties:

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