2024-08-19 16:28:24
The National Government headed by President Petro, in the context of the humanitarian crisis in Palestine, decreed the suspension of Colombian coal exports to Israel.
The measure, formalized through Decree 1047 of August 14, 2024reflects the concern of the Government of Change regarding the devastating effects of the Israeli military operation that began on October 7, 2023.
The decision, which will come into force next week, was driven by the “gravity of the humanitarian situation” in Palestine. A report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) summarises the impact of the 169 days of conflict in Gaza: more than 32,000 Palestinians have lost their livesof whom 9,000 are women and 13,000 are children. In addition, 1.1 million people face food insecurity and 1.7 million have been displaced from their homes. Even more alarming, 31% of children in Gaza are suffering from malnutrition.
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President Petro, known for his active presence on social media, expressed his outrage on the X platform (formerly Twitter) this Sunday, writing: «Colombian coal is used to make bombs to kill Palestinian children«This message is not an isolated one; in June, Israel had already announced its intention to suspend coal exports to Israel until what it described as “genocide” ceased.
Decree 1047 not only marks a milestone in Colombian foreign policy, but also sets clear conditions for lifting the ban. According to Article 4, The measure will remain in force until the provisional orders issued by the International Court of Justice in relation to the conflict in Gaza are complied with.
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