Harris set to approve Occupied Territories Bill going to next Oireachtas stage

Taoiseach Simon Harris is set to sign off this week on the stalled Occupied Territories Bill proceeding to the scrutiny committee stage in the Oireachtas.

Independent Senator Frances Black tabled the draft legislation in 2018 that would ban the import into Ireland of goods and services originating in illegal settlements in lands deemed as occupied under international law.

The Irish Government had previously contended that the Bill would breach EU law.

However, ministers sought fresh legal advice on the position in the wake of a non-binding advisory opinion handed down by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the summer that declared that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal under international law.

Following receipt of the revised legal advice from Attorney General Rossa Fanning, the Government signalled a desire to support the Bill, arguing the ICJ ruling had significantly changed the context.

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