US Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) and 15 of her House Republican colleagues are calling upon the US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to investigate whether Ireland’s proposed ban on trade of services with Israeli-occupied territories violates US anti-boycott law.
The August 7 letter, Tenney said in a statement, “urges the Department of the Treasury to conduct a formal review under Section 999 of the Internal Revenue Code and consider adding Ireland to the list of countries that require or may require participation in international boycotts against the US or its allies.”
On social media, Tenney wrote: “If Ireland supports Hamas & BDS by boycotting Israel, the US must enforce our anti-boycott laws to protect US companies.”
(Ireland’s leaders have continually condemned Hamas and the October 7 attacks in Israel.)
In her statement, Tenney further said: “Ireland’s proposed boycott is a blatant attempt to isolate and delegitimize Israel on the world stage.
“This proposed boycott is discriminatory, dangerous, and would violate US law.
“The Treasury Department has the duty to enforce the law, protect American businesses, and hold countries accountable when they promote foreign boycotts against our allies.
“The United States will not stay silent while our allies are targeted by hostile political agendas.”
Co-signing Tenney’s letter – which can be read here – are Republican members of the House of Representatives Nick LaLota, David Schweikert, Elise M. Stefanik, Andy Ogles, Joe Wilson, Pete Stauber, Chuck Edwards, Keith Self, Barry Moore, Mark B. Messmer, Harriet M. Hageman, Andrew R. Garbarino, Earl L. ‘Buddy’ Carter, Ben Cline, and Michael R. Turner.
If Ireland supports Hamas & BDS by boycotting Israel, the US must enforce our anti-boycott laws to protect US companies.
I’m calling on @SecScottBessent to investigate Ireland’s proposal. US companies should never be forced to isolate our allies & side with terrorists.…
— Rep. Claudia Tenney (@RepTenney) August 7, 2025
Tenney issued her letter the same week she and other Republican lawmakers, including Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, met with Israel’s Minister of Defense Israel Katz in Israel.
According to Axios, the visit – which was not an official congressional delegation and was designated as a private trip – was organized by the founder of the US-Israel Education Association, a conservative pro-Israeli advocacy group.
The day after the meeting with Katz, Tenney said on social media that Ireland’s proposed legislation was “morally bankrupt” and “shameful.”
Ireland’s move to ban Israeli goods & de facto endorse BDS is morally bankrupt. Hamas fires rockets & Ireland attacks the only democracy in the region.
This will impede the peace process, hurt US interests & damage our trade relationship.
Shameful doesn’t begin to cover it.
— Rep. Claudia Tenney (@RepTenney) August 4, 2025
Prohibit the importation of goods
Ireland’s Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Harris published the General Scheme of the Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill on June 25 after it was approved by the Cabinet.
Upon publication, Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said that the main purpose of the Bill is to prohibit the importation of goods into the State from Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.
Any such importation will thereby become an offence under the Customs Act 2015, and the prohibition created by the Bill will also then engage the customs powers under that Act, including those relating to search, seizure, and forfeiture.
On July 31, the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade in the Oireachtas published its report and recommendations on the General Scheme after pre-legislative scrutiny.
“The issues raised by this draft legislation are highly significant as it seeks to ensure that Ireland is compliant with the 2024 Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice,” Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy John Lahart said.
“Our report includes a recommendation to extend the prohibition of imports from the Palestinian Occupied Territories to include services whilst the Government should also continue to pursue urgent action at the European level.
“We have also recommended that a range of scenarios on the potential repercussions of the measure be published. These should examine the implications of the Bill both in terms of international relations and economic effects.
“The Committee also believes that the Government should engage comprehensively with businesses in relation to the measure – to give them clarity and certainty as to its implementation and to work with them to combat misinformation about the Bill.”
The Dáil recessed on July 17 and is not due to sit again until September 17. According to RTÉ News, Taoiseach Micheál Martin previously confirmed the proposed legislation is likely to go before the Dáil and Seanad in early autumn.
US criticism
Tenney’s letter is just the latest instance of US politicians airing their criticisms of the proposed Irish legislation.
On July 1, US Senator James Risch, Chair of the Senate’s Foreign Affairs Committee, said on social media that Ireland is “on a hateful, antisemitic path that will only lead to self-inflicted economic suffering.”
He said if the legislation is implemented, “America will have to seriously reconsider its deep and ongoing economic ties,” adding, “We will always stand up to blatant antisemitism.”
Ireland, while often a valuable U.S. partner, is on a hateful, antisemitic path that will only lead to self-inflicted economic suffering. If this legislation is implemented, America will have to seriously reconsider its deep and ongoing economic ties. We will always stand up to…
— Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman (@SenateForeign) July 1, 2025
Two weeks later, Mike Huckabee, the Trump-appointed US Ambassador to Israel, trotted out a lame stereotype in his criticism of Ireland’s proposed legislation.
“Did the Irish fall into a vat of Guinness & propose something so stupid that it would be attributed to act of diplomatic intoxication?” Huckabee said on social media.
“It will harm Arabs as much as Israelis.
“Sober up Ireland! Call @IsraelMFA [Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs] & say you’re sorry!”
Did the Irish fall into a vat of Guinness & propose something so stupid that it would be attributed to act of diplomatic intoxication? It will harm Arabs as much as Israelis. Sober up Ireland! Call @IsraelMFA & say you’re sorry! https://t.co/aiOcmCQWZ8
— Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) July 16, 2025
Huckabee’s comments on July 15 coincided with what appears to have been a coordinated social media pile-on from other US politicians critical of Ireland’s proposed legislation.
Some – including Tenney and some signatories of her letter – accused the legislation of being “antisemitic,” while others said that its passage could threaten US-Irish economic ties.
Ireland’s proposal to ban products made in Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria is not only deeply anti-Semitic but antithetical to Western values.
As the Chair and Founder of the Friends of Judea & Samaria Caucus, I call on @dfatirl to rescind this radical proposal…
— Rep. Claudia Tenney (@RepTenney) July 15, 2025
www.irishcentral.com (Article Sourced Website)
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