How Much Is Ireland Willing to Pay to Boycott Israel?

[JCFantasy23]

Legislation scheduled for debate this week in Ireland’s lower house would criminalize any transactions with businesses or individuals living in Israel’s West Bank. The “Control of Economic Activity Bill” would impose jail for up to five years and heavy fines on Irish citizens that import or sell products from the territory Israel won in the Six Day War. Crucially, it would require foreign companies with divisions or subsidiaries in Ireland to adhere to the boycott as well.

Because of Ireland’s low corporate tax rates, many of the world’s largest companies keep their wealth there. U.S. companies accounted for 67 percent of all foreign direct investment in the country in 2017, and Ireland is especially popular with America’s tech giants. Apple is Ireland’s largest company. Google, Microsoft and Facebook are also in the top 10.

Which brings us back to Israel. A big reason why Israel’s economy has boomed since the inception of the BDS movement is because America’s tech giants have set up branch offices and bought promising Israeli tech startups. The Irish legislation, if it becomes law, would force Apple, Google, Microsoft and Facebook to choose between their Irish tax haven and their business in the Jewish state.

source

 

[JCFantasy23]

A linked opinion from the original article, from the new Israeli ambassador to Ireland Ophir Kariv, "What could be perceived as a just and well-intentioned Bill, is, in fact, threatening to make Ireland the most extreme anti-Israel, although not pro Palestinian, country, outside Iran and the Middle East."

 

[JCFantasy23]

Update - Looks like I had articles out of order, but same information, from January 25th this time -

Irish lower house passes bill to ban Israeli Settlement Goods

 

[tampasteve]

And now I will not buy Irish goods....not that I was buying many anyways.

 

[SolomonVII]

Maybe Ireland will able to push America's tech giants around.
Or, maybe those tech giants agree with that boycott too, and they will go along willingly. It depends on how much the tax haven is worth to them too.

Given that Israel is a high tech leader and Ireland is, well Ireland, there may well be a cost to the tech giants for accepting the anti-Israel left wing political agenda. They can cut themselves off from the technology of high tech Israel. But rest assured any upstart competitors will use that as an in and a competitive advantage over social justice warriors leading companies.

 

[Arcangl86]

Maybe Ireland will able to push America's tech giants around.
Or, maybe those tech giants agree with that boycott too, and they will go along willingly. It depends on how much the tax haven is worth to them too.

Given that Israel is a high tech leader and Ireland is, well Ireland, there may well be a cost to the tech giants for accepting the anti-Israel left wing political agenda. They can cut themselves off from the technology of high tech Israel. But rest assured any upstart competitors will use that as an in and a competitive advantage over social justice warriors leading companies.

This appears to be a bill initiated by the Government. The coalition currently making up that Government are Fine Gael, a center-right party, and Fianna Fáil, a conservative party.

 

[SolomonVII]

This appears to be a bill initiated by the Government. The coalition currently making up that Government are Fine Gael, a center-right party, and Fianna Fáil, a conservative party.

Okay. It doesn't surprise me that European conservatives follow the same talking points as America's left. Boycott Israel is a movement initiated by the left.