Colombia’s Petro Signs Decree Banning Coal Exports to Israel

Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro signed a decree banning coal exports to Israel in a bid to pressure the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the conflict in Gaza. 

In a bold move that’s sure to ruffle feathers in the corridors of Western power, Colombia’s firebrand president Gustavo Petro has taken aim at Israel’s war machine. He’s hit them where it hurts – right in the coal chute.

The decree, dated August 14, isn’t pulling its punches. It’s grounded in international law and human rights concerns, citing the dire situation in Gaza since Israel’s military onslaught began in October 2023 following the Hamas attack.

However, let’s be clear: what’s happening in Gaza isn’t just a conflict or any notion of self defence – it’s a humanitarian catastrophe. The UN’s reports paint a grim picture of widespread casualties, displacement, and destruction. Colombia’s action is a ray of hope in this darkness, a concrete step towards halting the violence.

Neither is this just symbolic posturing. Colombia is the world’s fifth-largest coal producer, and Israel’s been gobbling up 3 million tons of it annually – that’s 5.4% of Colombia’s total exports. It’s a $165 million-a-year business that’s now gone up in smoke.

By cutting off this supply, Colombia is using its economic clout to champion human rights and international law. It’s a powerful reminder that nations can and should use their resources to promote peace, not fuel war.

But let’s not kid ourselves – this won’t be a walk in the park for Colombia. The Colombian Mining Association is already crying foul, bleating about “international commitments” and “foreign investment”. They’re worried about the bottom line, of course, not the bombed-out hospitals of Gaza.

As the great Noam Chomsky once said, “States are not moral agents, people are, and can impose moral standards on powerful institutions.” Petro and the Colombian people are doing just that, standing up to a powerful state and saying enough is enough.

Again, critics may cry foul about international commitments and foreign investment, but let’s be clear: there can be no business as usual while innocent lives are being lost. Colombia is showing that when push comes to shove, human rights trump profit margins.

This isn’t just a moral victory – it’s a practical one too. By tying the resumption of coal exports to the implementation of the International Court of Justice’s provisional measures, Colombia is providing a concrete incentive for Israel to comply with international law.

The decree includes provisions for transactions legally completed or authorised before its enforcement and outlines a mechanism for exporters to prove the legitimacy of their transactions. It will remain in effect until the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice regarding the Gaza conflict are fully implemented.

This is more than just a trade spat. It’s a moral stand, a challenge to the world to put its money where its mouth is. Petro’s already cut diplomatic ties with Israel over Gaza. Now he’s showing that in the fight for justice, everything’s on the table.

Will it work? Only time will tell. But in a world where money talks and morality often whispers, Petro’s shout might just be loud enough to make a difference.

Paul Knaggs