Colombia Halts Coal Exports to Israel amid Genocide in Gaza

The move marks a significant shift in relations between the South American nation and the Tel Aviv regime, previously strong trade partners.

Colombia, the largest fossil fuel supplier to Israeli occupied territories, reported coal trade worth $450 million in 2023. Despite warnings from the Colombian Miners Association and opposition from coal producers, Petro moved forward with the decree, initially proposed in June. Concerns had been raised regarding the trade agreement between Bogota and Tel Aviv.

The decree, published on the presidential website Sunday, cites "the seriousness of the humanitarian situation that has arisen in Palestine following the military operation carried out by Israel after 7 October 2023."

Petro’s government referred to a previous report by the United Nations detailing the extent of the Gaza crisis, stating that "32,333 Palestinians had died, including 9,000 women and 13,000 children, with 1.1 million facing food insecurity, and 1.7 million displaced."

The export ban will take effect five days after its publication and will remain“until the orders of provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice in the Process of the application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel) are fully complied with.”

Petro shared the decree on his official X account, stating, “Colombian coal is used to make bombs to kill Palestinian children.”

Colombia, once one of Israel’s strongest allies in Latin America, has seen ties fray sharply since the start of the Gaza war. Tensions escalated when President Petro condemned Israel’s actions as “genocide” and likened its military to the Nazis, a comparison Israel decried as antisemitic. In response, Israel suspended security exports to Colombia, prompting the Colombian government to sever diplomatic relations.

At least 40,099 people have been killed and 92,609 wounded in Israel’s war on Gaza.