Ireland is advancing draft legislation to ban trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, following its official recognition of a Palestinian state last year.
Prime Minister Michael Martin urged the international community to put pressure on Israel to cease the humanitarian crisis immediately. Foreign Minister Simon Harris acknowledged that the measure would prohibit imports from the settlements while possibly excluding services. The legislation will be reviewed by a parliamentary committee in the coming weeks before a final vote, according to Xinhua.
As Israel escalates its military campaign in Gaza, an increasing number of European nations are voicing strong criticism and demanding concrete measures in response.
