Jewish groups slam ‘selected outrage’ behind Irish bill to ban West Bank imports

"It won’t bring the two states closer but it might drive Jewish communities here in Ireland further into fear and isolation.

"Let me be very clear. Criticism of Israel is not antisemitism but when criticism becomes a campaign, when it becomes law — and no other state is treated the same — we have to pause. We have to question."

I speak as an Irish citizen. Born and raised here in Dublin. And as a Jew, from a small, long-established Irish-Jewish community that arrived here in the early 1600s. And that community is now increasingly fearful," Cohen added.

"We are witnessing a rise in racism and it's not too distant relative antisemitism across Europe, yes – but also right here in Ireland. And while this Bill may not set out to target Jews or Jewish life, its message is unmistakably felt by us."

Cohen also insisted that the bill will be inconsistent with historical measures taken by the Republic, saying: "This Bill is not about policy. It’s about posture. And I say Ireland can do better. We can be bold without being biased. Principled without being performative. And most of all, we can be consistent.

"When the only country in the world you choose to boycott by law is the one Jewish state – not China for Tibet, not Turkey for Northern Cyprus, not Russia for Crimea or Myanmar for its atrocities – then something is amiss. Selective outrage is not foreign policy. And double standards do not serve the cause of peace."

Elsewhere in the session, Natasha Hausdorff, legal director at UK Lawyers for Israel, gave evidence on behalf of the Ireland Israel Alliance, arguing that the bill could contravene EU law if passed as the bloc operates a centralised trade policy.

Hausdorff said: "I first stress that nothing of substance has changed since the previous bill was frozen after the previous attorney general correctly advised that it contravened EU law.

"Under the EU law, the position remains unaltered. The EU maintains exclusive competence over the common commercial policy including trade with third countries."

Following the meeting, Ireland’s Chief Rabbi Yoni Wieder, who also gave evidence, told the JC: “Like almost everything else that has come out of the [parliament] in response to the war, this bill demonises Israel alone and does nothing to hold Hamas and Iran to account.

“We are told that this bill is going to help move things forward towards a two-state solution. But how can one seriously believe that?

“Instead of consistently laying the blame entirely on Israel's shoulders, why does Ireland not take equal measures to pressure Hamas to lay down its arms and denounce its commitment to the eradication of Israel and the murder of Jews?

"If Ireland was genuinely motivated by humanitarian concerns, it would also be trying to put pressure on Hamas and secure the release of the hostages. It would speak out against Iran and its jihadist terrorists proxy’s intent on Israel’s destruction.”

He continued: “Of course, criticism of Israel in and of itself is not antisemitic. But it can become so when it uses antisemitic tropes, when it makes baseless accusations, or when it applies double standards to Israel.

"And those lines have been crossed again and again in Irish public discourse over the past 18 months, and this bill is just the latest example.”