Image Source: The Times of Israel
Berlin – Freelance journalist Ilham Rawoot points out that despite many African nations condemning Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine and the genocide in Gaza, some countries, including South Africa, still maintain trade relations with Israel. In particular, Nigeria, Gabon, and South Africa are among the biggest suppliers of natural resources, such as crude oil and coal, to Israel.
“South Africa itself provides Israel with 15% of its coal. So Africa is not, as you know, as supportive of Palestine as it seems.”
This trade between African countries and Israel has sparked concern, with critics arguing that it makes these nations complicit in the oppression of Palestinians, contradicting their official stance on Palestine.
However, Rawoot explains that many African countries continue trading with Israel due to longstanding agreements and economic dependencies formed decades ago. African governments are often tied to contracts with private companies, limiting their ability to stop trade with Israel, even if they oppose its policies.
“Africa has been reliant on trade with Israel for a long time, and Africa still is. There’s somebody that I spoke to for the article who explained that Africa is still a victim of colonisation.”
“For decades and decades, we were seen as the bottom of the hierarchy, as somewhere that you can exploit, somewhere where you can get resources and not give anything back.”
Rawoot explains that the economic challenges many African nations face, worsened by sovereign debt and dependence on international financial institutions like the IMF and World Bank, make it hard for them to move away from such trade relationships. She notes that loans from these institutions often come with conditions that allow foreign companies to extract valuable natural resources.
To break this cycle of exploitation and enable these nations to align their economic policies with their political and ethical beliefs, Rawoot advocates for the cancellation of sovereign debt. She also stresses the importance of regaining control over natural resources and reducing dependency on foreign institutions and companies.
“We’re not indebted to Israel in any way, but when the International Monetary Fund or World Bank gives loans, they have conditions … The IMF and World Bank will say, “We’ll give you the money if you allow massive companies like Shell, BP, and Total to extract gas.”
“So when the IMF, the World Bank, or Northern countries talk about reparations, they’re very quick to express how bad they feel about colonialism, especially in Europe. But what they could be doing instead of focusing on fossil fuels, which are used for weapons and war, is providing funding for renewable energy.”
“They could also provide the technology for renewable energy without patents and education on renewable energy. This approach would allow for energy systems that can be community-owned, not reliant on grids, and work better for the African continent and former colonial states.”
