US lawmakers condemn Irish bill to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements
Almost two-dozen mostly Republican members of Congress have expressed their opposition to legislation making its way through Ireland’s parliament attempting to ban trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham – one lawmaker who posted on X as part of a coordinated campaign opposing the bill – said he hopes “Ireland will reconsider their efforts to economically isolate Israel”.
“I do not believe these efforts would be well received in the United States and they certainly would not go unnoticed,” he added.
US lawmakers opposing the legislation include:
- Republican Senators Hal Rogers, Tom Cotton, Bill Hagerty, Kevin Cramer, Lindsey Graham and Rick Scott.
- Republican Representatives Mario Diaz-Balart, Tom Emmer, Daniel Webster, Lisa McClain, Mike Lawler, Andy Barr, Pete Stauber, Harriet Hageman, Mike Crapo, Andy Ogles, Barry Moore, Mark Messmer and Claudia Tenney.
- Democratic Representatives Brad Schneider and Josh Gottheimer.
Ireland should also introduce a bill to ban trade with the US.
Israel to boost military spending in 2025 and 2026
The government will raise defence spending by 42 billion shekels ($12.5bn) this year and in 2026, the Israeli ministries of finance and defence have said.
The budget agreement will allow the Defense Ministry to “advance urgent and essential procurement deals critical to national security”, they said in a statement.
Palestinian Ministry of Health publishes list of every person killed in Gaza
The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza has published a list of every known death of a Palestinian killed as a result of Israel’s war on Gaza since October 7, 2023.
The 2,086-page document, published on Telegram, lists the name, age, gender, and ID number of 58,380 people.
The list features some 953 children less than a year old, with the first nine entries documenting children killed on the same day they were born.
