We republished matter from Climate Observatory written by Priscila Pacheco and Leila Salim.
Enemies, enemies, oil apart. Despite the recurring statements of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT) against Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip and in defense of the Palestinian civilian population, Brazilian oil is among the most used by the government of Benjamin Netanyahu to supply its airplanes and tanks Since the beginning of guerra On October 7 last year, after the Hamas terrorist attack.
One analysis of the organization Oil Change International He revealed on Thursday (14) that Brazil is one of the five largest suppliers of Cru Oil to Israel, along with United States, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Gabon and Russia. The number of massacred Palestinians in Gaza already exceeds 31 thousand, 13,000 children. Other tens of thousands are injured or missing under the rubble, possibly dead, and the survivors face hunger, as Israel has blocked the delivery of humanitarian aid. On the Israeli side, 1,388 people were murdered.
Brazil, one of the ten largest oil producers in the world, has sent 260,000 tons of oil to Israel since December, when Lula had already done first criticism the war. In January this year, the International Court of Justice of Hague determined That Israel must ensure that their forces do not commit genocide in Palestine, in a sentence resulting from the process opened by South Africa accusing the country of practice. Lula, who in more than one occasion spoke endorsing the accusation From the African country, it has dodged the pressures of social movements for economic sanctions to the country.
“The dynamics of the oil industry is so cruel that, even while President Lula is considered Persona non grateful by the Israeli far-right government, Brazil feeds the Benjamin Netanyahu war machine with Brazilian oil,” says Claudio Angelo, coordinator of International Policy of the Climate Observatory. "This is a problem, but it can also be an instrument of pressure from the Brazilian government for a ceasefire."
The material sent by Brazil in two loads - one in December 2023 and one last month - comes from Campos in the Sea of British Shell and French Total Energies in partnership with Petrobras. According to analysis As an important oil supplier for Israel, Brazil has the opportunity to press for a ceasefire through a fossil fuels, used to supply the country's military fleet.
The maintenance of trade relations with Israel is criticized by Palestinian advocates. "States and companies that continue to provide fuel to Israel to their military forces are directly complicit in supporting their ongoing genocide," said Mahmoud Nawaja, general coordinator of the Palestinian National Committee. In this scenario, the embargo is seen as a opposition to the military power of Israel. "We appeal to nations to take advantage of oil supply as a way to demand an immediate ceasefire and the end of the occupation," said Allie Rosenbluth, program manager of Oil Change International us United States.
Historical Allies of Israel, the United States sent three fuel navies to military jet. The last of them was seen at the Israeli Port of Ashkelon on March 6. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq carry crude oil through the Sumed oil. Israel receives from this small, but constant oil remittances. These countries have also criticized Israel's stance in war.
The Climate Observatory questioned the Brazilian government about the sale of oil to the Netanyahu government, but did not get a return until the publication of this report.