Support Palestine, Continue Support for the Occupied Territories Bill

Image: Trócaire

The Comhlámh Trade Justice Group is calling on Fianna Fáil TDs to stick to the Party’s commitment to support this Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018. It is a piece of proposed legislation, that if enacted, would give effect to the State's obligations arising under the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilians in an occupied territory after a war under customary international humanitarian law; and for that purpose to make it an offence for a person to import or sell goods or services originating in an occupied territory. This would ban trade between Ireland and Israel’s illegal settlements in the West Bank. The Bill was introduced by Senator Frances Black and is supported by leading human rights organisations.

This Bill, having been agreed in the Seanad, passed the second stage in the Dáil in December 2019 and is now primed for Committee Stage. We strongly urge you to continue to support this bill, both at the vote on progression, but more particularly, by urging your Party to include support for this Bill in the Programme for Government. As a civil society advocacy group, we feel it imperative that this legislation is passed, to promote trade justice for any marginalised people suffering the oppressive impacts of illegal settlements.