South Africa coal exports to Israel soar amid Colombia ban

South Africa has become the largest seaborne supplier of coal to Israel, with exports increasing by 87 percent in late 2025. This surge fills the gap created after Colombia banned its coal shipments to Israel in protest of the war in Gaza. The increased trade presents a contradiction, as South Africa's government has been a vocal critic of Israel's actions, even bringing a genocide case against it at the International Court of Justice. Despite the government's official stance, South African miners have boosted their share of Israel's coal market to 55 percent.