ALBAWABA- Venezuela has shipped crude oil to Israel for the first time since mid-2020, signaling a sharp shift in its energy policy and foreign alignments following the installation of an interim government under US oversight, according to industry sources.
The cargo, dispatched quietly due to political sensitivities, is bound for Israel’s Bazan Group, the country’s largest oil refiner. The shipment marks a notable departure from Venezuela’s long-standing boycott of Israel, which began in 2009 when Caracas severed diplomatic relations over the Gaza conflict under then-president Nicolás Maduro.
The move follows the January 3, 2026, US military operation that resulted in the capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, an action condemned by Venezuelan officials and Maduro allies as an illegal abduction. Since then, interim authorities led by acting President Delcy Rodríguez have pivoted toward cooperation with Washington, reopening Venezuela’s oil sector to foreign partners and advancing reforms to hydrocarbon laws that had previously restricted private and international investment.
US President Donald Trump has openly stated that Washington intends to manage Venezuela’s oil sector for an extended period, presenting the policy as a stabilization and recovery effort after years of economic collapse. The arrangement amounts to foreign control over Venezuela’s strategic resources.
The Israel-bound shipment is part of a broader restructuring of Venezuelan oil exports under Operation Southern Spear, launched by the United States in December 2025.
The operation has included the seizure of several Venezuelan-linked tankers, the imposition of a de facto maritime quarantine in the Caribbean, and US-brokered crude sales. In January, Caracas transferred an estimated 30 to 50 million barrels of oil to the United States under a deal that returned roughly $500 million to Venezuelan state coffers to fund basic government operations.
Under the new framework, Washington has selectively eased sanctions, redirecting Venezuelan crude toward allies such as the United States and Israel, while seeking to reduce flows to China and Russia. US officials argue that the policy both constrains rival powers and generates revenue for reconstruction and institutional rebuilding in Venezuela.
The resumption of exports to Israel could reshape regional energy and diplomatic dynamics, particularly given Venezuela’s previous alignment with pro-Palestinian positions in the Middle East. At the same time, the strategy risks deepening tensions with Maduro’s remaining allies and fueling broader geopolitical disputes over sovereignty, sanctions, and control of energy resources.
