The US Chamber of Commerce raised the Irish Occupied Territories Bill during talks with Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke last week.
The Washington DC-based lobby group, which bills itself as the world’s largest business organisation, was in Dublin for talks along with several US companies with Mr Burke, and also met Minister for Finance Jack Chambers and senior officials in the Department of Health.
During their talks with Mr Burke, the Department of Enterprise confirmed that it raised the legislation, which the outgoing government has indicated it will progress if returned to office.
A spokeswoman for the department said the discussion during the meeting covered a range of topics.
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“The US Chamber of Commerce raised the Occupied Territories Bill, and Minister Burke and his officials noted same.”
There has been speculation that Ireland’s stance on the Gaza war may prompt potential economic headwinds for the State, with many US multinationals invested here supportive of Israel.
The legislation, which was introduced by Independent Senator Frances Black in 2018, had lain dormant for years despite passing various stages in the Oireachtas, after previous attorneys general advised that the Bill was contrary to European Union trade law.
Following an advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice, the outgoing coalition sought fresh legal advice on the stalled Bill as the opinion created a “new context” for it, after the UN court found Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in breach of international law in a non-binding advisory opinion.
It also found that Israel’s occupation of these territories amounts to long-term annexation and has undermined the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. Israel’s ambassador to Ireland, Dana Erlich, said on Monday that if the legislation was enacted, no US companies would be able to operate in Ireland. She was speaking after the Israeli government said it would shut its embassy in Dublin.
[ Israel embassy closure will not deter Ireland from pursuing ICJ case over GazaOpens in new window ]
Ms Erlich told RTÉ news that Ireland was an “extreme voice” in the international arena, saying no other country had matched Ireland’s stance over the Israeli assault on Gaza.
Earlier on Monday, both Taoiseach Simon Harris and Tánaiste Micheál Martin defended Ireland. Mr Harris accused Israel of using it as a ploy to distract attention from the thousands of children killed by its armed forces.
“I think we should be very careful in not falling for what I believe are distractions by the Israeli government. It is deeply regrettable that it decided to shut its embassy. I don’t in any way minimise that decision, but it’s nothing in comparison to what’s happening in the Middle East, absolutely nothing,” he said.
[ Government did not seek EU view on Occupied Territories BillOpens in new window ]
In Brussels, Mr Martin denied the Government had been acting in a “hostile” way to Israel in seeking to hold it to account for its actions in its war in Gaza.
The Fianna Fáil leader said Ireland’s intervention at the International Court of Justice and its previous recognition of the state of Palestine had been motivated by “respect for international humanitarian law”.
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