How South Africa Became Israel’s Top Coal Supplier After Colombia Ended Shipments
After Colombia, which used to be a major source, ceased its shipments, South Africa has become the number one supplier of thermal coal to Israel. This change has not only realigned the global trading routes but also revealed a complicated combination of economics and geopolitics.
In the middle of 2025, Colombia’s administration prohibited coal exports to Israel, arguing that the coal was used in aggressive operations in the Gaza area. At the beginning, the prohibition did not completely halt the deliveries due to old contracts and legal loopholes. Subsequently, Colombia closed those loopholes with a presidential decree in July 2025, thus stopping exports completely.
When Colombia’s exports went down to zero, South African miners took advantage of the opportunity to supply Israel. Coal shipment from South Africa to Israel increased by 87% in the last three months to November 2025 compared to the same period in the prior year. Close to 474,000 metric tonnes were delivered, which was almost as high as the levels of early 2017.
The emergence of South Africa as a coal provider may be counterintuitive given the political leaning of its government. At different international forums, Pretoria has been criticizing Israel unequivocally, even blaming it before the International Court of Justice. South African firms, on the other hand, have been going on with their coal trade, which is indicative of the inconsistency, or rather the disconnection, between the political and the economic spheres.
In spite of the fact that Israel will gradually eliminate the use of coal by 2027 and substitute it by natural gas and renewable energy, coal is still substantially a part of the country’s energy mix. The increase in coal import in the last few months goes hand in hand with lowering Russia’s share in Israel’s coal market to less than 3%, thus opening the door for the new suppliers.
Before the Colombian ban, that country was the major provider of coal to Israel. In 2023, coal exports from Colombia to Israel generated almost $447 million of revenue. After the embargo was fully imposed, Israel had to look for new suppliers immediately. South Africa’s mining industry, being capable of large-scale thermal coal exports, was the best choice.
The change of the guard in supply underscores the contradiction situation of economic interests versus political positions. Colombia, out of concern for the victims, stopped coal shipments to Israel as a matter of principle, while South Africa’s continuing post illustrates the difficulties that the latter has in balancing its domestic and foreign policies.
On the one hand, as Israel gradually moves to cleaner energy sources, a dependable supply of coal is still vital in the near future. On the other hand, ramped-up coal sales to foreign countries in South Africa would translate to more mining jobs and the local economies being revitalized. This tale about global trade is a reminder of how it can so quickly adjust itself to geopolitical and policy changes.