Von der Leyen eyes Iron Dome for Europe

Israel has influenced Ursula von der Leyen’s stated priorities. (European Union)

Has Ursula von der Leyen taken a break from rhapsodizing about Israel?

Back in April 2023, the European Commission president published a video praising that state for 75 years of “dynamism, ingenuity and groundbreaking innovations.”

As she sought reappointment over recent weeks and months, von der Leyen has avoided repeating that message. Yet there are strong indications that Israel’s “groundbreaking innovations” are influencing her policies.

Boosting the weapons industry is a strong priority for von der Leyen as she prepares to begin a second term. One of the first projects she wants to push forward is being described as a “European air shield.”

It is time for Europe to build a true European Defence Union ↓ pic.twitter.com/GI2r9GqnIj
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) July 18, 2024

Although she has not fleshed out what the “shield” would consist of, there are strong reasons to believe that it is based on Israel’s Iron Dome missile interceptor system.

Other advocates of the “shield” such as Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, have been more forthcoming. Tusk contended in May that “creating an Iron Dome against missiles and drones is necessary.”

One month earlier, von der Leyen was the keynote speaker at a war industry summit in Brussels. I am proud that the main news story from that event was how I disrupted it by symbolically putting von der Leyen under citizen’s arrest for aiding the genocide in Gaza.

Before I did so, I listened to comments from Micael Johansson, CEO of the weapons maker Saab. “We don’t have the dome capability that we’ve seen now in Israel, that we really need,” he said.

Von der Leyen has committed to erect the “shield” in “close coordination” with NATO.

High-level administrators with that military alliance gave their backing to such a system in October. Germany – the state von der Leyen represented before heading the European Commission – is leading the initiative and is buying Israel’s Arrow 3 weapons for that purpose.

Defending an illegal occupation

Israel and its supporters routinely portray Iron Dome as defensive. That is only true insofar as it was conceived to defend and perpetuate an occupation that has just been declared illegal by the International Court of Justice.

If it must be called a “shield,” then it is the shield of an aggressor.

Mainstream media coverage of how it was used to strike down missiles fired from Iran a few months ago frequently omitted crucial context: Those missiles were fired as a response to Israel’s attack – violating international law – on an Iranian consulate in Syria.

Von der Leyen has been more coy than Donald Trump. He has promised to build “a great Iron Dome over our country.”

If Trump wins the November election, it is probable that calls for Europe to spend more on weapons and the military will get louder. The militarization agenda has already been accelerated by the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Von der Leyen poses as a moderate. Urging higher spending on weapons is central to her stance.

In reality, nothing could be less moderate than coveting a war economy.

A responsible adult would cut military budgets and use the money saved for healthcare, education and protecting the environment. A responsible adult would demand an end to the West’s belligerence – a belligerence that provoked Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Von der Leyen’s efforts to develop a war economy rely in no small part on weapons developed by Israel during an unlawful occupation. That is something all true moderates must oppose.