Colombia Totally Bans Coal Exports to Israel
Referential image. A Colombian coast mine. Photo: X
August 30, 2025 Hour: 4:16 pm
The Colombian government announced on Saturday the entry into force of a decree banning all exports of coal to Israel, considering that this resource cannot be used to “feed a war machine” in the genocide against the Palestinians.
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Coal exports to Israel were prohibited in June 2024 by the Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, who in recent months denounced that ships with the mineral continue to leave for that country, which he considered a “challenge” to his government.
The new decree, which establishes “strict and without exceptions” restrictions on trade of this mineral with Israel in the face of the “persistence of warlike acts against the Palestinian people,” is a measure adopted by the ministries of Commerce, Foreign Affairs, Mines and Energy, and Finance.
“Colombia cannot be indifferent to the suffering of the Palestinian people. This is a concrete act to stop the escalation of war and a decisive contribution from our country to world peace,” said the Minister of Commerce, Diana Marcela Morales Rojas, when presenting the measure.
The prohibition is based on three pillars: respect for international law, protection of the civilian population, and Colombia’s coherence as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the period 2025-2027.
The decree will remain in effect until the orders of provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) are fulfilled or until the conditions that motivated the decision disappear.
The Colombian government stressed that the measure is supported by the international agreements signed by the country, including the exceptions allowed by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the bilateral trade agreement with Israel, which contemplate restrictions for reasons of public morals and national security.
Coal is Colombia’s main export product to Israel but only represented 5.05% of the total mineral sold by the country in 2023.
Colombia broke diplomatic relations with Israel in May 2024, in rejection of the military offensive in Gaza, which according to United Nations figures has left more than 60,000 dead, mostly civilians.
Source: EFE
