Civil society organisations demand SA halts coal exports to Israel. [Picture: The New Arab]
Dug from the depths of the African soil, loaded onto lorries and shipped to the eastern shores of the Mediterranean, South African coal is powering up occupation and a genocidal war. Activists say it’s dripping with Palestinian blood.
Since Israel launched its genocidal campaign in October last year, South African coal mines have raked in $40.6 million (approximately R715 200 000) from exports to Israel, The New Arab reports.
This amounts to at least 15% of the occupation state’s imports, which it uses to sustain its war economy. With Colombia – until now the largest supplier – planning to halt coal exports that way, South African exports move to the top of the list.
“We need to recognise that Israel is able to continue its genocide because it is fuelled continuously by resources,” said Inès Abdel Razek, co-director of the Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy (PIPD) and participant in the Global Energy Embargo for Palestine campaign.
In an interview with Salaamedia on Monday, she said it was not just the billions in US aid that propped up the genocide, “but also crude oil, jet fuel, coal and all minerals and metals that are still fuelling the military machine that is exterminating our people in Gaza”.
Official statistics from the Gaza health ministry at least 42 603 people have been killed and 99 795 wounded in Israeli attacks since 7 October 2023. News headlines bleed with stories of entire families being massacred overnight.
Abdel Razek said while it was commendable that the country took Israel to the World Court, South Africa and other countries had an additional moral obligation – to sever ties with the apartheid regime.
“All states, all countries, around the world, have an obligation to take all measures that their disposal. What does that mean? ‘All measures’ means trade, economic ties, any kinds of ties to Israel today are fuelling colonisation and genocide, [should be cut]” she said.
