Central Bank of Ireland confirms it will no longer approve sale of Israeli ‘war bonds’

[Everexpanding]

Good news. Political pressure, protests and letters beginning to work

www.irishtimes.com/business/2025/09/01/israel-to-market-war-bonds-through-luxembourg-as-irish-authority-expires/

So they only care a bit, but not extended to the tech sector? Interesting

Most of it is driven by Intel. The Occupied Territories Bill only deals with occupied Territories not the whole of Israel.

I think Irish people would be quite happy not to be on Israels radar. I think most of us are quite happy living in the second most peaceful country in the entire world, we have something military or economic power can never buy, safety. I hope one day Israelis and Palestinians get to experience the same.

'think most of us are quite happy living in the second most peaceful country in the entire world, we have something military or economic power can never buy, safety.'

Doesn't it feel like it could change at any minute with the rumbles of unification and the many scenes of unrest we see due to asylum seekers?

I was actually shocked how much they did care. But we have a lot of trade with Israel so I guess that’s why they reacted the way they did,

I’m not sure if Irish unity is going to be something that impacts the peace to be honest. I think the majority support peace over a united ireland.

But you are totally right. We seem to be going the way of the UK with the rise of the far right. Depressing times indeed. But not relevant to this topic.

I very much doubt that a majority of Irish people are boycotting Israeli products. The Irish government itself certainly wants to maintain trade and diplomatic links with Israel. They are coming under pressure from the Irish population to act now. But the majority of the Irish population is pro a two state solution, so not anti Israel just anti what Israel is doing and pro a Palestinian state.

I think it is hard to understand if you are coming from the mindset that being against genocide is anti semitism. Some people seem to think that a pro Palestinian position is anti Israel and pro terrorism. And hearing people say that is something Irish people have a deep awareness of. Being pro a united Ireland used to be conflated with being pro terrorism. We’ve heard it all before.

Im just going by the comments on this board about how dedicated the Irish are to the Palestinian cause and how importantt it is to take economic action. Apparently not. Interesting

Economic action has to be taken on an EU level. We can’t do that. However the Occupied Territories Bill is well supported. I’m not sure everyone is “dedicated” Most people are just trying to live their normal lives. They just don’t agree with what’s happening.

The pro Palestinian movement itself generally has focused on stopping activities that we do that directly support the genocide- weapons traveling through our air space, the war bonds, trade with the occupied territories. It hasn’t generally been targeting other activities that Ireland does with Israel. There has been no call to cancel visas or anything like that.

Israel moves bond approval process out of Ireland as Dublin pushes to reject ties

Israel has moved the process of securing EU approval for its Diaspora bond prospectus from Ireland to Luxembourg amid increasing opposition in Dublin to its central bank’s role in approving the program on behalf of the European Union.

Non-EU countries must choose one EU member state to apply to for approval of a prospectus where securities are traded in the EU and Ireland’s central bank had been asked to approve Israel’s Diaspora bond program each year since 2021.

A joint committee of Irish lawmakers recommended in August that the government seek to amend EU regulations so as to allow each individual European central bank to refuse to act as the competent authority for such bond prospectuses.

The Irish central bank had consistently said it is legally obliged to approve any prospectus once the relevant conditions are met.

In a letter to a lawmaker published by the central bank, Governor Gabriel Makhlouf said the approval for Israel’s program would be transferred to Luxembourg upon the expiry of the prior year’s prospectus on Monday.

Israel’s Finance Ministry did not immediately comment on the reasons for moving its EU bond prospectus approval.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-moves-bond-approval-process-out-of-ireland-as-dublin-pushes-to-reject-ties/

Seems like Irish people were misled by their media if they think that the change from Ireland to Luxembourg was instigated by the Irish central bank.

As it says in the article, The Irish central bank had consistently said it is legally obliged to approve any prospectus once the relevant conditions are met.

The truth is that Israel moved their EU bond prospectus approval to Luxembourg.

Ireland and Israel both depend on US patronage - Ireland because of the favourable tax regime that encouraged major US corporations to set up their European businesses there which drives a significant proportion of the GDP, and Israel for weapons.
It’s therefore not practical to boycott Israel in Ireland given the profits from tech and pharmaceuticals passing through the country.
The government will be pleased with this even if Israel initiated it but they had no hand in it as the Central Bank is independent.

@MoreCraicPlease - also it wasn’t even initiated by the central bank. They were let off the hook there by Israel moving.

It is very true about Ireland being reliant on US companies. The US is already threatening Ireland over the Occupied Territories Bill and enacting it will likely cause some economic damage. But even if we wished to ban all trade with Israel, as an EU state, that would not be possible.

Another positive sign of change

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/08/29/supermarket-imports-of-israeli-food-plunge-palestine/

From the same article - you really see supporting Afghanistan which operates gender apartheid as 'a positive sign of change?

All they have done is switch to buying things from countries with appalling human rights records! Way to go!

'While Israeli trade has dipped because of human rights concerns, imports have surged from other countries run by authoritarian regimes.
Goods arriving from Taliban-run Afghanistan, which is the only country in the world that explicitly bans women’s secondary education, climbed 45pc year-on-year.
Meanwhile, Syrian exports to Britain more than doubled with a 120pc rise in consignments of olives, olive oil and dried coffee – despite ongoing sanctions and concerns over the new regime.'

No I would not celebrate that particularly in relation to Afghanistan as the situation for women there is so appalling.
Any sign that people are waking up and trying to exert pressure on Israel to stop their genocidal actions is welcome though.

It’s hard to say without more detail. I would prefer if trade sanctions targeted the Afghan regime and its leaders and minimised the impact on ordinary people.

I think there should be trade sanctions on Israel but again these should be targeted starting with activities that impact the war or the occupation. I wouldn’t agree with a country being completely isolated from world trade as it would cause much suffering among the population esp with regard to medical items/food ect… I don’t agree with these generalised boycotts.

The person I was responding apparently thinks punishing the Israeli pooulation is a positive development.

No, I think anything that causes Israelis to reflect on the actions of their government and push for change is welcome

Does that include punishing the Israeli population? How do blanket boycotts and disinvestment differ from collective punishment?

If Israeli businesses suffer to halt the bombing of civilians I think that can be justified. I would feel sympathy for individual Israelis who do not support their governments actions, but losing a bonus or job does not equate to losing your family/home or your child losing their life or limbs as Palestinians are currently experiencing. Boycottts work

I mean you say that. But ultimately if people were dying in Israel because they couldn’t import a specific medicine, you probably wouldn’t stand over it? Right?

I think sanctions should be targeted with a specific goal in mind- like with Russia, they specifically target the trappings of the uber wealthy (among other sanctions) like yachts. They don’t target food items that will only impact joe soap

Nobody(but you) is talking about denying Israelis medicine, denying medicine is something the Israeli government does. I'm talking about Israelis suffering economically, that wouldn't trouble me at all.

'Normal' Russians have suffered economically and culturally due to sanctions not just the uber rich. PayPal for instance stopped Russians from using their service, loads and loads of small business who sell internationally have suffered because of that and seemingly, if people think just the uber wealthy were effected, people don't just not care about it they don't even know about it.

Sorry I'm typing while distracted. I understand that PayPal is not a governmwnt sanction but I would support companies doing similar to Israeli citizens. I think financially inconveniencing people into action would be a positive move. For too long Israelis have sat on their hands and not just ignored but had benefit from their governments and citizens illegal activities. If money will make them wake up and say enough is enough then I'm all for it.

If I wanted Israelis to die I would be suggesting that countries band together and bomb the shit out them like their government has been doing to people under their watch. If sanctions meant Israelis needed aid I would be all for my government and others helping in feeding and providing healthcare to them through aid organisations like they are trying to do in Gaza, hopefully no governments would stand in the way and block that.