Colombia’s Petro Signs Decree Banning Coal Exports to Israel

By Andrea Navarro

August 18, 2024 at 12:02PM EDT

A worker shovels coking coal at a Carbomax de Colombia facility near Cucuta, Norte de Santander department, Colombia, Saturday, March 4, 2023. Colombian coal exports grew 14.3% year over year as a consequence of the global demand due to the war in the Ukraine. Photographer: Ferley Ospina/Bloomberg (Ferley Ospina/Bloomberg)

(Bloomberg) -- 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.

The decree, published on the presidential website, is dated Aug. 14.

The Andean nation is the biggest supplier of the fossil fuel to Israel. The Colombian Miners Association has warned that given the free trade agreement between the two nations, Colombia can’t stop coal exports to Israel and companies that produce the mineral may consider taking action.