Swiss-based Dutch trading company Vitol is currently shipping 200,000 barrels of crude oil to Israel, where they fuel Israel’s apartheid and ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

A crude oil tanker with over one million barrels of Venezuelan crude oil on board is currently sailing off the coast of Sardinia (Italy). Under the US-imposed export scheme, the Poliegos (IMO 9746621) left Venezuela’s Jose terminal on 2 February and all currently available data indicates that it is due to arrive in Haifa on 28 February where it will unload part of this cargo. The oil will directly fuel Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. 

The vessel sailed first to Sardinia, with 800,000 barrels of crude oil  due to go to the Saras refinery in Sarroch (Italy), owned by Swiss-based Dutch trading company Vitol. The remaining 200,000 barrels are reportedly destined for the refinery in Haifa, owned by Israeli crude oil company Bazan.

Research by PICS and DisruptPower uncovered in 2025 that Vitol’s Saras refinery in Sarroch provided 17% of Israel’s imports of oil and refined products. 

Maren Mantovani with the Palestinian-led BDS movement stated:

“Swiss company Vitol is directly complicit in US-Israeli crimes. The BDS movement condemns Vitol for its role in transporting Venezuelan crude for use in Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and apartheid against all Palestinians. At a time when Palestinians are being slaughtered, ethnically cleansed, and deprived of the most basic necessities, any company fueling Israel’s genocide, apartheid and military occupation is deeply complicit and must be held accountable – as should its executives and board members, according to international law.

“There can be no business as usual. The BDS movement calls on trade unions, grassroots movements and wider civil society in Switzerland, the Netherlands and Italy to pressure  Vitol to stop supplying genocidal Israel with energy and to end its complicity in genocide.”

Following the US bombing of Venezuela’s capital Caracas and the kidnapping of its president and his wife, the US has imposed a scheme to plunder and control Venezuelan natural resources: the country can only sell its oil to two US vetted companies, which then take control of the resources.  

The Swiss-based Dutch multinational energy trading company Vitol, which has sold the petroleum to Bazan and is the controlling shareholder of the Sarrach refinery, is one of them. 

Under international law, states and corporations are obligated not to aid, assist, or profit from international crimes and to take decisive action to stop them. 

Prior to the US attack, the Venezuelan government had observed an energy embargo on Israel. It is now denying involvement in sales of oil to Israel, further highlighting the US role in quashing Venezuelan sovereignty and right to self-determination. 

Background:

For further information about the shipment of Venezuelan oil through Europe, read this article.

For more on the legal obligations of flag, port and coastal states according to the Law of the Sea, see the ASCOMARE legal opinion.

For more on the legal obligations of corporations in front of Israel’s genocide, see Dr Irene Pietropaoli study “Obligations of Third States and Corporations to Prevent and Punish Genocide in Gaza”.