Israeli soccer fans attacked in Amsterdam, Israeli authorities say

() – Israeli soccer fans were attacked in a “serious incident of violence in Amsterdam” overnight from Thursday to Friday, Israeli authorities reported, and the government announced it was sending planes to evacuate affected citizens.

Hundreds of fans of Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer team “were ambushed and attacked in Amsterdam” on Thursday night while leaving the stadium after a Europa League match against the Dutch team Ajax, the Israeli embassy in the United States reported. United on the social media platform X.

A video shared on social media by the embassy showed what they described as acts of violence against Maccabi fans.

has not yet been able to verify those videos.

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said he was in contact with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding “completely unacceptable anti-Semitic attacks against Israelis.”

“I am in close contact with everyone involved. I just spoke on the phone with (the Israeli prime minister). Netanyahu emphasized that those responsible will be tracked down and prosecuted.

Now the situation is calm in the capital,” Schoof said in a statement on X.
Netanyahu stressed in the call with Schoof “the paramount importance” of the Dutch government ensuring the safety of all Israelis in the Netherlands, according to the Israeli prime minister’s office.

“Netanyahu stated that he views the planned anti-Semitic attack on Israeli citizens as serious,” the prime minister’s office said, adding that he called for greater security for the Jewish community in the Netherlands.

Political tensions had been rising ahead of Thursday night’s match, with several unconfirmed videos on social media showing Maccabi fans chanting slogans about the conflict in the Middle East. has not yet been able to verify these videos.

Local police reported that 57 people were detained after the match as pro-Palestine protesters tried to reach the Johan Cruyff stadium, even though the city had banned them from protesting there, Reuters reported. Police said fans left the stadium without incident, but several clashes were reported in the city center overnight.

has contacted Amsterdam police for an update on the recent reported violence.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said 10 citizens were injured and advised Israelis in Amsterdam to stay in their hotels.

“The impression from the reports is that the situation is calming down in the last hour,” Sa’ar said.

Sa’ar also asked his Dutch counterpart, Caspar Veldkamp, ​​to help transport Israelis from their hotels to the airport, according to Israel’s Foreign Ministry.

In a statement from his office, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the violence “serious” and said he was ordering the “immediate deployment of two rescue aircraft” to assist Israeli citizens.

The Israeli leader also urged Dutch authorities to “act firmly and quickly against the rioters and ensure the safety of our citizens.”

Israel’s military forces reported that they are leading the evacuation flights.

“The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) is preparing to immediately deploy a rescue mission in coordination with the Dutch government,” the military said. “The mission will be deployed using cargo aircraft and will include medical and rescue teams.”

The Israeli Foreign Ministry, on Friday night, reported that about 30 people have been arrested so far. The statement did not indicate when those arrests were made or who was arrested.

Maccabi fans were in the Dutch capital ahead of the Europa League match against Ajax on Thursday night.

Amsterdam police reported that they reinforced their presence in the city center on Wednesday night, citing “tensions” in several areas, a day before the game.

Officers “avoided a confrontation between a group of taxi drivers and a group of visitors coming from the adjacent casino” on Wednesday night, police said in a statement in X, mentioning another incident in which a Palestinian flag was torn down in the center of Amsterdam by unknown persons.

Police also reported that a demonstration was planned for Thursday near the stadium before the match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv.

This is a developing story and will be updated.