IWI, understood for the advancement of the Uzi submachine weapon, is the primary weapons provider for the IDF and Israel Police.
Under the organized cooperation contract, AIA will start making and putting together the ARAD 5 rifle and the NEGEV UX in a factory that will be integrated in the Netherlands.
IWI will offer AIA with the underlying innovation, item proficiency, and producing knowledge, while AIA will develop the Dutch production operation and the facilities to provide and support the items.
The scheduled cooperation in between the 2 defense business is anticipated to develop the structure for long-lasting domestic production, technical proficiency, and lifecycle assistance in the Netherlands.
Assembly will begin at AIA’s website in Tilburg, with the possibility of transferring to a various place in the future, the business stated
Production will be phased, beginning with assembly, followed by partial production in the Netherlands and ultimately complete domestic production, AIA stated, without providing particular timeframes or financial investment figures.
AIA included that the Dutch federal government was not associated with the contract.
Constructing a strong Dutch commercial base
“The future of defense production will be formed by the capability to turn tested innovation into functional ability where it is required,” stated SK Group’s Vice Chairman Ronen Hamudot. “We see this cooperation as a chance to bring our years of experience establishing and producing weapon platforms for requiring functional environments into a brand-new commercial setting.”
AIA CEO Gerard Zondervan stressed that”A strong Dutch commercial base is basic to nationwide security.”
“The Netherlands needs the ability to manufacture, develop expertise and support the defense systems on which its security depends,” Zondervan stated. “This cooperation is a step toward a future in which Dutch industry plays a greater role in delivering the defense capabilities our country needs.”
Thousands rally in Amsterdam to protest Dutch gov’t’s Israel policy
The announcement of the agreement comes a day after 200,000 people gathered in Amsterdam to protest the Dutch government’s policy toward Israel in the latest of a series of “red line” demonstrations in which participants dress in red to form a line against alleged war crimes against Palestinians.
The red line protests began in May 2025, organized by the Dutch NGO Oxfam Novib, and the first drew around 100,000 participants. Since then, the movement has grown. Thirteen organizations backed Sunday’s gathering, including Oxfam Novib, Amnesty International, and Save the Children, according to the Dutch English-language news outlet NL Times.
Sunday’s protest was the fourth red line demonstration, according to NL Times, which reported that an estimated 250,000 people took part in the previous one, in October 2025.
Participants are demanding that the Dutch government take stronger action against Israel.
Maya Zanger-Shamir contributed to this report.
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