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The Government's Occupied Territories Bill is finally moving through the Oireachtas - but it has been significantly weakened. Services have been excluded entirely, despite representing 70% of Ireland's trade with Israeli settlements. Eminent legal experts, Ireland's own human rights commission, and the Department of Foreign Affairs' own impact assessment all point to the same conclusion: a complete ban is required. Email your TD today demanding services are included now.
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sample email
Subject: Urgent Call from [Your Constituency]: Rescue the Occupied Territories Bill
Dear Deputy,
I am writing to you as your constituent to request that you take action on the Occupied Territories Bill, which is in danger of being significantly watered down.
I fully support Ireland moving towards measures that have an actual economic impact for Israel's appalling human rights record, and I am encouraged to see that the long-awaited Occupied Territories Bill is finally moving forward. However, the Government intends to significantly weaken the Bill by completely excluding services — proposing legislation even weaker than what Spain has already passed.
The International Court of Justice made clear in 2024 that states have a legal obligation not to trade with illegal Israeli settlements. That is all trade — the court did not distinguish between goods and services, and we cannot selectively apply which aspects of international law suit us. Eminent legal experts, including over 400 Irish lawyers, and Ireland's own human rights commission have warned that excluding services could fall short of our obligations.
Last year, the Joint Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee recommended that the Bill be strengthened to include services, with support across all political parties. Even the Department of Foreign Affairs' own regulatory impact assessment states that "a complete prohibition on trade with Israeli settlements is required."
Around 70% of Ireland's trade with Israeli settlements is in services. Excluding them means that online booking platforms based in Ireland will still be legally able to advertise holiday lettings in illegal settlements. It will also set a lower bar for other EU countries that look to replicate our law.
The argument that including services would be difficult to implement does not hold. Ireland already implements a ban on both goods and services in relation to Russian-occupied territories in Crimea. It suggests double standards to apply a different logic to Israeli-occupied territories.
Spain's recent measures are particularly instructive — explicitly prohibiting not just goods, but the advertising and promotion of services linked to illegal settlements, including tourism-related activities. Setting a lower bar than Spain would be a profound let-down for the people of Palestine.
We need a full ban on services. At the very minimum, Ireland should follow Spain's example and include a ban on advertising tourism services in illegal settlements.
I would be grateful to know your position on the Bill, whether you support the inclusion of services, and what steps you are taking to press for passing the Bill in full.
Yours sincerely, [Your name] [Your address] [Your constituency]
