DUBLIN CITY COUNCILLORS last night voted to support a motion demanding that the Irish Government enact the Occupied Territories Bill, which would ban trade between Ireland and illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine.

Proposed by Sinn Féin councillor Daithí Doolan, the motion calls on the Government to put forward the legislation “in light of the recent ruling by the International Court of Justice on the illegality of Israeli settlements in Occupied Palestinian Territories”.

Speaking before the vote, Doolan said it was the responsibility of councillors to take a “principled and practical position” on the issue and to support his motion.

Doolan said: “[This] will insure that we send a clear message to Israel – we are watching you. And make sure it sends a clear message to Palestine – we support you, and there are consequences for Israel if they continue to breach international law.”

Last week, the decision to table the bill was slammed by former justice minister Alan Shatter, who is a member of the Ireland’s Jewish community. He accused Sinn Féin of “desecrating” the memory of people who died in Israel during the 7 October attacks.

Doolan denied the charge and claimed he had no say over the the date of the meeting. The council’s monthly meetings are always held on the first working Monday of each month.

Speaking ahead of the vote, Lord Mayor James Geoghegan said: “I think, unanimously, in this chamber is an expression of solidarity that I think, largely speaking, is reflected in the city of Dublin and across the island of Ireland.”

Geoghegan said he believed the population of Ireland are in a “state of collective devastation for the hostages that still haven’t been found, the collective punishment that has been perpetrated on the Palestinian people” after the 7 October attacks.

“And now the aggression that the Lebanese people, the innocent Lebanese people, are facing and – in additional to all over that – the intimidation that our soldiers, who are trying to carry out a peaceful mission, who are trying to carry out a UN convention and who are carrying out their duties, that they too are facing,” he added.

The chamber of councillors later voted in favour of supporting Doolan’s motion.

“Tonight’s vote is hugely significant. It sends a strong, unified message from the largest local authority on the island demanding the Irish government enacts the Occupied Territories Bill,” Doolan said after the vote.

He added: “The Government can no longer ignore the issue. An Taoiseach Simon Harris must ensure the Occupied Territories Bill is passed as a matter of urgency.”

The Tánaiste Micheál Martin said last month that the Occupied Territories Bill is currently being reviewed after advice from a previous attorney general suggested it would be contrary to EU law.