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Germany’s Left Party opposes Volkswagen’s defense plan with Israel’s Rafael
Thomas Gross, the Left Party’s candidate for mayor of Osnabrück, criticized Volkswagen’s plan to produce military equipment with Israel’s Rafael at its factory in the city. Lower Saxony could invest at least 200 million euros in the project, while Volkswagen’s supervisory board may discuss it on September 4.
Plans to use Volkswagen’s factory in Osnabrück to produce military equipment have drawn objections from Thomas Gross, the Left Party’s candidate for mayor. The plan envisions joint production with Rafael, a company owned by the Israeli state.
Gross, who is running for the Left Party in next month’s Osnabrück mayoral election, criticized Volkswagen management’s controversial proposal and the uncertainty surrounding the future of the thousands of people working at the factory.
Gross highlights the “City of Peace” tradition
Gross said cooperation with Rafael was incompatible with Osnabrück’s tradition as a “City of Peace.” He highlighted the city’s historical legacy, noting that it was the birthplace of the 1648 Peace of Westphalia, which laid the foundations of modern international law.
Gross argued that the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was responsible for numerous war crimes in Gaza. He said international human rights organizations regarded these actions as genocide.
Call for civilian production and minibuses
Gross said production in Osnabrück could continue without the factory being converted into a defense facility. He noted that the Left Party supported a proposal to manufacture at the plant the minibuses urgently needed for public transportation in rural areas.
Gross said climate protection and efforts to adapt to climate change were more urgent than diverting billions of euros to military capacity. He argued that these areas should be prioritized.
Partnership option through Lower Saxony
Volkswagen, the state of Lower Saxony and Rafael are nearing an agreement to produce military equipment. Under one possible model, Volkswagen would transfer parts of the facility to the state, while Lower Saxony would establish a joint venture with Rafael.
Lower Saxony could invest at least 200 million euros in the project. Volkswagen’s supervisory board may discuss the plan on September 4.
Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, Volkswagen’s third-largest shareholder, vetoed an earlier draft of the defense partnership in July. The new model aims to overcome Qatar’s objections by eliminating direct cooperation between Volkswagen and Rafael.
Car production expected to end after 2027
Volkswagen had previously confirmed that it was holding talks with various defense companies about the Osnabrück factory. Car production at the facility is scheduled to end after 2027.
Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume had said that any contribution by the company would be limited to military transport vehicles, rather than weapons production.
The 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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