Employers' group Ibec has been asked to present evidence following its warning that it would be "incredibly difficult" for businesses to implement a ban on services coming from the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Secretary General of Amnesty International, Agnès Callamard, said that Ireland is not putting itself at economic risk in the US by implementing a ban on goods and services coming from the Occupied Palestinian Territories, adding that there is more Ireland could do to sanction Israel for its conduct in Gaza and the West Bank.
She said that the latest information was that there is no evidence that the implementation of the Occupied Territories Bill will result in economic problems for Ireland.
Ibec Executive Director of Lobbying and Influence Fergal O'Brien told the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade that services coming from the Occupied Palestinian Territories were "incredibly hard" to identify.
Asked if he could quantify the value of services in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Mr O'Brien said he did not have such data.
He also said that even if only goods were banned by the proposed legislation, his members would be concerned at the likely international reputational damage which would flow from adopting such a bill.
Ms Callamard called on Ibec to present evidence following its warning.
Speaking to RTÉ's Morning Ireland, she said that at the moment, Israel has preferential treatment by the EU territory regarding trade.
She said that this needed to be stopped, as Israel is violating the EU’s own rules on human rights.
"This issue is not about isolating or not Israel, rather the EU working according to its own rules and upholding the principles at the heart of the European Project.
"Not one action has been taken to stop Israel. It is time to take action to protect people from complete annihilation, it is a genocide."
She added that Ireland was showing leadership in this regard, but it must continue the process to adopt the Occupied Territories Bill.
She said that this would allow Ireland to meet its international obligations under the ICJ ruling on trade with the Occupied Territories.
"Ireland has shown repeatedly that it can stand up to bullies, and there is nothing else apart from bullying Ireland coming out of the US."
She said that international law and the international system were being destroyed by a "bullying state" and that this was not acceptable.
