SA coal exports to Israel – profit before principle? |
A matter of huge concern for Palestinian solidarity movements in South Africa is the unresolved and extremely troublesome issue of coal exports to Israel. For many, including trade unions and progressive forces, until a halt is placed on fuelling Israel’s war on Palestinians, the elephant in the room will remain South Africa’s economic lifeline to the Zionist regime. And the general consensus will be that South Africa’s proclaimed opposition to Israeli apartheid and genocide, “collapses the moment profit is placed above principle”.
The reality of the current status quo is in conflict with the fact that while the government correctly argues genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), South African exports continue to feed the Israeli economy.
Coal, diamonds and strategic commodities flow uninterrupted, sustaining an occupation and war economy that Pretoria publicly condemns. This is not policy incoherence. It is deliberate political theatre masking economic collaboration.
Trade figures drawn from customs data, shipping records and international trade monitoring show that South Africa........