Colombia will suspend coal exports to Israel over the war in Gaza, its President Gustavo Petro announced, according to The Associated Press . Petro wrote on social media platform X on Saturday that coal exports will only resume “when the genocide” in Gaza stops. He also posted a draft decree, which says that coal exports will only resume if Israel complies with a recent order by the International Court of Justice that says Israel should withdraw its troops from the Gaza strip. According to Colombia’s National Statistics Department, coal exports to Israel were worth more than $320 million in the first eight months of last year. Israel imports more than 50% of its coal from Colombia, according to the American Journal for Transportation , and uses much of it to feed its power plants. Petro has long been critical of Israel’s war in Gaza and announced last month that Colombia was severing diplomatic ties with Israel over its response to the Hamas massacre of October 7. He later ordered the opening of an embassy in Ramallah. In November, Petro announced that Colombia had recalled its ambassador to Israel over the war. Related articles: 'Release the hostage Elkana Bohbot' Colombian President links hostage to solidarity with Palestinians Illegal migrant impersonated haredi Jew Colombia probes purchase and use of Israeli-made spyware A month later, he said that Israel’s operation in Gaza against Hamas was like “Nazism in Germany.” In another incident, Petro expressed support for comments made by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who compared Israel’s actions in Gaza to those of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler against Jews during World War II.
