Israel's Foreign Ministry blasted Ireland after its parliament advanced a law criminalizing business with entities connected to Judea and Samaria.

The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the law is a result of "pure hostility on the part of its initiators and deserving of full condemnation"..

“It is disturbing and disappointing that the initiators of Irish law focus on a hypocritical attack on Israel, rather than focusing on the dictatorships that slaughter their citizens. This is a clear expression of obsessive discrimination that should be rejected with disgust."

The Irish Parliament had approved a bill criminalizing any commerce with both businesses and individuals hailing from Judea and Samaria. Violators would face a maximum jail sentence of five years along with a heavy fine and it would apply to foreign multinational corporations as well that do business in Ireland.