Leaders of Israel and the Netherlands on Friday condemned what they called antisemitic attacks on fans of football club Maccabi Tel Aviv before and after a Europa League match between their team and Ajax
Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans clash after match in Amsterdam
Israel has U-turned on sending rescue planes to Amsterdam after a “very violent incident” following a football match last night.
Leaders of Israel and the Netherlands on Friday condemned what they called antisemitic attacks on fans of football club Maccabi Tel Aviv before and after a Europa League match between their team and Ajax.
The violence erupted Thursday despite a ban on a pro-Palestinian demonstration near the football stadium imposed by Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema, who had feared that clashes would break out between protesters and supporters of the Israeli club. Israel’s Foreign Ministry have reported that five Israelis have been injured so far, with 62 arrested.
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Horrific footage shared on social media appears to show fans being beaten and being chased with knives. One video shows a man being kicked on the ground and Israelis jumping into canals to avoid the protesters. “We experience the very thing they told us in school would never happen again,” one person told Maariv.
Israel had ordered that two planes be sent to the Dutch capital to bring the Israelis home but in a new statement, Netanyahu’s office says sending a “professional rescue mission to the Netherlands was not necessary”. He initially said two planes would be sent to the Dutch capital. Israeli citizens will instead return home via civilian airlines.
Netanyahu added that “the harsh pictures of the assault on our citizens in Amsterdam will not be overlooked,” and he “views the horrifying incident with utmost gravity.” He demanded that the Dutch government take “vigorous and swift action” against those involved.
Netanyahu’s office added that he had called for increased security for the Jewish community in the Netherlands.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said on X that he followed reports of the violence “with horror.”
“Completely unacceptable anti-Semitic attacks on Israelis. I am in close contact with everyone involved,” he added, saying that he had spoken to Netanyahu and “emphasized that the perpetrators will be tracked down and prosecuted. It is now quiet in the capital.”
Geert Wilders, the hard right nationalist lawmaker whose Party for Freedom won elections in the Netherlands last year and who is a staunch ally of Israel, reacted to a video apparently showing a Maccabi fan being surrounded by several men.
“Looks like a Jew hunt in the streets of Amsterdam. Arrest and deport the multicultural scum that attacked Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters in our streets. Ashamed that this can happen in The Netherlands. Totally unacceptable,” Wilders said.
Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, also condemned the violence in a post on the social media platform X.
The National Security Council has issued a new warning to Israelis and Jews in the Netherlands. “Avoid movements in the street and lock yourself in hotel rooms. The externalization of Israeli and Jewish symbols must be avoided.” Ajax won the Europa League match 5-0.