Colombia bans exporting coal to Israel over genocide in Gaza

Colombia, the largest supplier of coal to Israel, has officially ceased coal exports to Tel Aviv in a bid to pressure the Netanyahu government to end its military offensive in Gaza, which has killed over 40,000 Palestinians.

On August 14, Colombian President Gustavo Petro signed a decree banning arms exports to Israel amid ongoing Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip which has claimed countless lives and destroyed infrastructure in the Palestinian territory.

"Colombian coal is being used to make bombs that kill Palestinian children," Petro stated on X.

However, the Colombian Miners Association warned that coal producers might consider taking legal action and pointed out that the ban cannot take place due to a free trade agreement between the two nations.

In May 2024, Colombia severed its diplomatic ties with Israel due to human rights violations by the Israeli military in the Palestinian enclave.

“Here in front of you, the government of change, of the president of the republic, announces that tomorrow we will break diplomatic relations with the state of Israel … for having a government, for having a president who is genocidal,” Petro declared on May 1.

The diplomatic rift deepened in October 2023, when Israel accused President Petro of making offensive remarks about Jews and Tel Aviv suspended security exports to Colombia.

President Petro has repeatedly condemned Israel for its ongoing atrocities in Gaza and has banned the purchase of Israeli weapons after the IDF opened on Palestinian civilians as they rushed to collect aid.

In April, Colombia also requested to join a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.

Colombia has historically relied on Israel for military equipment, importing items such as machine guns and warplanes. On the other hand, Israel depends heavily on Colombian coal, which fuels electricity in Israeli settlements and accounts for 60 percent of Colombia's coal exports to Israel.

The two countries signed a free trade agreement in 2014. However, since President Gustavo Petro took office in 2022, bilateral relations between Israel and Colombia have deteriorated considerably.