Nazi-era weapons maker Volkswagen eyes return to arms production, this time with Israel

Nazi-era weapons maker Volkswagen eyes return to arms production, this time with Israel Submitted by Elis Gjevori on Wed, 03/25/2026 - 06:56 German car giant turns to Israel defence ties as industry struggles against China Logo of German automobile manufacturing company Volkswagen, in Brussels on January 9, 2026. (Benoit Doppagne/AFP) Off Volkswagen is exploring plans to convert a German car factory into a production hub for Israel’s missile defence systems, deepening ties between Europe’s industrial base and Israel’s war machine. The German carmaker has held talks with Rafael Advanced Defence Systems to repurpose its Osnabruck plant, shifting production from vehicles to components for Israel’s Iron Dome system, the Financial Times reported.