From:Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee TD, today (15 July) welcomed the passing of the Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill by the Seanad, completing its passage through the Oireachtas. The Bill can now be signed into law.

Minister McEntee said: “Today marks an important step in reaffirming Ireland's commitment to international law, human rights and a just and lasting peace based on a negotiated two-State solution.

“I want to thank Senator Frances Black for her unwavering commitment to this issue over many years. I also want to acknowledge the constructive engagement of colleagues across both Houses of the Oireachtas and the valuable contribution of civil society throughout the legislative process.”

The Bill fulfils the commitment set out in the Programme for Government to progress legislation to prohibit the import of goods from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory. Once the Bill is enacted and commenced, the importation of goods originating in Israeli settlements into Ireland will be an offence under section 14 of the Customs Act 2015.

Minister McEntee continued: “Ireland’s position, and indeed that of the EU, is clear - settlements are illegal under international law and undermine the realisation of the two-State solution.

“A commitment to the rule of international law is one of the core principles of Irish foreign policy. Based on our experiences on this island, we feel a deep and personal affinity with those working towards the peaceful resolution of conflict, whether that is in the Middle East or elsewhere. We will continue to work for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on the two-State solution that guarantees the right of both Israelis and Palestinians to self-determination, and to live in peace and safety within secure borders.

“I will keep working towards this aim with international partners, including at the EU level where we will continue to push for the EU to take concrete actions required to ensure compliance with international law and to support the goal of a two-State solution.”

In its Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) identified a range of obligations arising for states, including a duty of distinguishing in dealings with Israel between its own territory and the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Among other things, the ICJ considered that this encompassed an obligation:

In May 2025 the Government approved the preparation of a general scheme of a Bill to prohibit the importation of goods from the illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory. On 24 June 2025, the Government published the General Scheme of the Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill (‘the 2026 Bill’).

In early July 2025, the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade undertook pre-legislative scrutiny of the General Scheme. During this pre-legislative scrutiny stage, the Joint Committee heard from Government officials, legal and academic experts, Israeli and Palestinian advocacy groups, and representatives of Ireland’s Jewish community. It has also received submissions from prominent Israelis who support the legislation, including a former Israeli Attorney General and a former Speaker of the Knesset, and from Israeli and Palestinian advocacy groups, including US-based groups.

The Committee published its pre-legislative scrutiny report on 31 July 2025.

The Government approved the text of the Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2026 on 26 May 2026.

The 2026 Bill prohibits the importation of goods originating in postal codes corresponding to Israeli settlements, proscribed by order of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. Once the Bill is enacted and commenced, it will be an offence under section 14 of the Customs Act to import settlement goods, and the provisions of that Act concerning search, seizure and forfeiture will be available in respect of settlement goods.

It remains the Government’s preference that collective action would be taken at EU level on this issue. Discussions on EU trade with Israeli settlements took place at the Foreign Affairs Council on Monday, 13 July and are continuing. At the meeting on 13 July, Ireland called for the Commission to table concrete proposals aimed at prohibiting EU trade with Israeli settlements, with a view to a vote by Member States. It was agreed that this will be discussed further at official level in advance of further consideration by Ministers.