In a landmark support to Palestenian cause the Irish Senate has given its support to a legislation Prohibiting the import or sale of goods and services produced in occupied territories around the world, including Israeli settlements considered illegal under international law.

The Aljazeera report says that the proposed law is to make it an offence to trade in such goods and services was introduced by an independent senator and drew support from all Ireland’s major political parties except the governing Fine Gael party.

If passed by the lower house of the parliament the bill will have to go through several more stages of review and amendment before it is signed into a law.

Saeb Erekat, senior leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organistion, called the move by Ireland’s upper house, Senead, “historic” and urge other countries to do the same.