German Peace Groups Vow to Mobilize Against Israeli Arms Production at Volkswagen Plant

Peace activists in the German city of Osnabrueck have said they intend to mobilize civil society against plans for arms production tied to Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems at a local Volkswagen plant, according to a report by Anadolu Agency.

The activists said they would step up pressure on political parties and local officials over the proposed defense cooperation, the report said, though further details on the scope and timeline of the planned production were not specified in the available information.

Rafael is one of Israel's major state-owned defense manufacturers, producing missile systems, munitions and other military equipment used by the Israeli armed forces.

Anadolu Agency did not provide additional details in the excerpt regarding the specific nature of the cooperation, the identities of the peace groups involved, or statements from Volkswagen or German officials.

Opposition to European arms cooperation with Israeli defense firms has grown among activist groups in several countries amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, though the report did not specify whether the Osnabrueck campaign was directly linked to that broader context.