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On\u2008Tuesday night the Seanad postponed a vote on a bill that proposed a ban on the import and sale of products from Israeli settlements as well as the services originating from the occupied territories.\nT\u00e1naiste, Simon Coveney, who attended the second reading of Frances Black\u2019s Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018 welcomed the presence of the Palestinian ambassador Ahmad Abdelrazek in the public gallery but said that the Government opposed the Bill.
\nThe Bill\u2019s postponement came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his country\u2019s Foreign Ministry to summon the Irish ambassador in Israel.
\nIreland\u2019s ambassador, Alison Kelly, is expected to attend Israel\u2019s Foreign Ministry on\u2008Wednesday following Mr Netanyahu\u2019s condemnation of the Irish bill, saying it seeks to harm the Israeli regime.
\n\u201cThe initiative gives backing to those who seek to boycott Israel and completely contravenes the guiding principles of free trade and justice,\u201d Netanyahu\u2019s office said in a statement released on\u2008Tuesday.
\nRTE reported the Tanaiste as saying that Ireland\u2019s approach on the Middle East needs to constantly be reassessed and that his view was Ireland\u2019s approach to helping negotiate a fair two state solution should be focused on intensive diplomacy and on straight blunt discussion.
\nMr Coveney went on to say the expansion of Israeli settlements was unjust, provocative and undermined Israel\u2019s commitment to a peaceful solution
\nThe Tanaiste suggested such settlements were unambiguously illegal under international law and violated the rights of the occupied population.
\nThe Minister went on to say the Government\u2019s efforts should be focused on a unified EU position which could be more persuasive with an Israeli government and insisted that in the interim the Government would continue to support the Palestinian Authority, and Palestinians generally.
\nSpeaking on Tuesday night Senator Black said the Bill was a chance for Ireland to make a strong statement on the \u2018Occupied Territories\u2019 and thanked the T\u00e1naiste for his engagement before agreeing to an adjournment of the Bill.
\nAbout 600,000 Israelis live in over 230 settlements built since the 1967 occupation of previous Palestinian territories.
\nIf passed the bill would have made Ireland the first European country to ban settlement products.
\nThe proposed Bill had received strong support from Irish aid and development agencies including Trocaire and Christian Aid.
\nThe Bill has been adjourned until July. <\/p>\n