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Germany’s Left Party opposes Volkswagen’s military production plan with Israeli Rafael
Germany’s Left Party has opposed a plan to convert Volkswagen’s factory in Osnabrück into a facility producing military equipment with Israeli-based Rafael. Under the plan, Lower Saxony could invest at least 200 million euros in the project, while Volkswagen’s supervisory board may decide on it on September 4.
Plans by German automaker Volkswagen to open its Osnabrück factory for military equipment production with Israeli state-owned Rafael have drawn opposition from the Left Party.
Thomas Gross, the Left Party’s candidate in next month’s Osnabrück mayoral election, criticized Volkswagen’s management over the controversial proposal and for leaving thousands of factory workers uncertain about their future.
Emphasis on Osnabrück’s identity as a city of peace
Gross said cooperation with an Israeli state-owned company was incompatible with Osnabrück’s tradition as a “City of Peace.” He highlighted the city’s legacy as the birthplace of the 1648 Peace of Westphalia, which laid the foundations of modern international law.
Gross also argued that the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was responsible for numerous war crimes in Gaza and said international human rights organizations assessed these actions as genocide.
Left Party backs minibus production
Gross said civilian production in Osnabrück could be preserved without converting the factory into a defense facility. He said the Left Party supported producing minibuses at the plant, which are urgently needed for public transport in rural areas.
Gross said protecting the climate and adapting to climate change were more urgent than transferring billions of euros to military capacity.
New model for partnership with Rafael
Volkswagen, the state of Lower Saxony and Rafael are nearing an agreement to produce military equipment at the factory. Under one proposal, Volkswagen would transfer parts of the facility to Lower Saxony, which would then establish a joint venture with Rafael.
Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, Volkswagen’s third-largest shareholder, vetoed an earlier draft of the defense partnership in July. The new model is intended to overcome Qatar’s objections by removing direct cooperation between Volkswagen and Rafael.
Production planned to end after 2027
Volkswagen had previously confirmed that it was in talks with several defense companies about the Osnabrück factory. While automobile production at the site is planned to end after 2027, Volkswagen Chief Executive Oliver Blume said any potential involvement by the company would be limited to military transport vehicles, not weapons.
Talks with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems focus on producing support components for the Iron Dome missile defense system, including heavy transport trucks, launch units and power generators.
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