Germany’s Left Party Opposes Volkswagen’s Planned Military Deal with Israel’s Rafael

Germany’s democratic socialist Left Party has strongly opposed Volkswagen’s plans to convert production at its Osnabrück plant into military equipment in cooperation with Israeli arms manufacturer Rafael. Thomas Gross, the party’s mayoral candidate in Osnabruck, criticized Volkswagen’s management over the proposal and accused it of leaving thousands of workers uncertain about their future.

Gross said cooperation with an Israeli company was incompatible with Osnabrück’s identity as a “City of Peace,” pointing to the city’s historical role in the 1648 Peace of Westphalia, which helped lay the foundations of modern international law. He also accused the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of responsibility for multiple war crimes in Gaza, noting that international human rights organizations have described Israel’s actions as genocide.

The Left Party candidate said alternatives exist to preserve civilian manufacturing at the Osnabruck facility without turning it into a military production site. He backed a proposal to manufacture minibuses, which he said are urgently needed for public transportation in rural areas. Gross also argued that improving climate protection and adapting to climate change should take priority over spending billions on military expansion.