The Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill will ban the importation of goods to Ireland from illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The government has said it is seeking further legal advice on including services in the bill.

However, Israeli and US officials have reportedly been pressuring the government to drop the bill altogether, with warnings about its possible economic impact on Ireland.

Amnesty International’s secretary general, Agnès Callamard, recently met with President Michael D. Higgins and Taoiseach Micheál Martin, among others, on a two-day visit to Ireland.

Speaking afterwards, Ms Callamard said: “We urge the Irish government to press ahead quickly with the Occupied Territories Bill to demonstrate that when the EU fails to act on its values, principled states like Ireland will take a stand.

“The bill would be a powerful, much-needed tool for international justice and must be strengthened to include banning all imports and exports of goods and services to and from Israeli settlements in illegally occupied Palestinian territory, as well as investments in them.

“Despite the fearmongering and efforts by certain parties to derail the bill, Ireland must stay firm in its convictions and commitment to justice.

“This legislation is rooted in international law and would enable Ireland to fully comply with the International Court of Justice’s July 2024 advisory opinion on Israel’s unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory.”

She said passing the bill would “set a strong example to EU states to unilaterally suspend all forms of cooperation with Israel that may contribute to its grave violations of international law”.

During her visit to Dublin on 16 and 17 July, Ms Callamard met with President Higgins, Mr Martin, Attorney General Rossa Fanning, Senator Frances Black, and Liam Herrick, the chief commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, as well as local human rights defenders and civil society organisations.