Israel sends “rescue planes” to Amsterdam after clashes – DW – 11/08/2024

After violent clashes in Amsterdam, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday ordered two planes to be sent to the Netherlands to bring soccer fans home.

Netanyahu's office said in a statement on

“The harsh images of the attack on our citizens in Amsterdam will not be overlooked,” the Prime Minister’s Office said.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu views the terrible incident with the utmost seriousness and demands that the Dutch government and security forces take strong and rapid action against the rioters and ensure the safety of our citizens,” the statement said.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said three Israelis were missing and 10 people were injured following the violent clashes. The extent of her injuries was unclear on Friday morning.

Dutch police said five people needed hospital treatment and 62 arrests had been made.

Maccabi Tel Aviv FC said in a statement on

The club warned its fans to stay in their hotel rooms and warned them not to display Israeli or Jewish symbols.

Dutch Prime Minister denounces attacks

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof condemned the incident, saying on X that he had “followed the news from Amsterdam with horror. Totally unacceptable anti-Semitic attacks on Israelis.”

The Dutch leader said he was in close contact with Netanyahu and that he emphasized that those responsible would be “located and prosecuted.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also condemned the attacks.

“I am outraged by the vile attacks on Israeli citizens in Amsterdam last night,” von der Leyen said, adding that she had communicated with the Dutch prime minister.

“I condemn these unacceptable acts in the strongest possible terms. Anti-Semitism has absolutely no place in Europe. And we are determined to fight all forms of hate,” von der Leyen said on X.

What happened in Amsterdam?

Around 3,000 Maccabi Tel Aviv fans attended their club's Europa League away game at Ajax Amsterdam.

Raz Amir, a journalist who covers Maccabi Tel Aviv, tweeted that the attack was “pre-coordinated,” according to supporters present.

According to Amir, the attackers “had precise information about where to wait.” [for the Maccabi supporters]and as soon as they identified Israelis, they jumped on them with knives and clubs.

Videos showing the attacks after the game showed an Israeli being beaten and cornered by a group of young men dressed in black.

Before the game, there were clashes between pro-Palestinian protesters and Dutch police, who had reported “tensions” in several parts of the city ahead of the match, which Ajax won 5-0.

The Amsterdam city council said that Thursday evening “was very turbulent and there were several incidents against Maccabi supporters”. The rioters “actively sought out Israeli supporters in order to attack and abuse them,” the local authority said in a statement.

In an earlier post on

Police later said several hundred Maccabi fans had gathered in Dam Square, where the atmosphere was reportedly tense but then calmer.

A pro-Palestinian rally against the visit of the Israeli football club was originally planned near the stadium, but was postponed by city authorities for security reasons.

Clashes broke out when part of the group of demonstrators tried to get to the stadium but were stopped by riot police who pelted them with “heavy fireworks”.

Police said they maintain a visible presence in the city.

Tensions before the game

Even before the game, news of possible clashes was circulating on both social media and in the media in Israel.

A report from a Dutch newspaper Telegraph Even Mossad agents will reportedly accompany Maccabi Tel Aviv to the Netherlands due to the increased risk.

Tensions were expected to be high, partly because Turkish team Fenerbahce were playing away at AZ Alkmaar, just 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Amsterdam, and Turkish fans are known to support the Palestinian cause.

The evening before the game, videos circulated on social media purportedly showing Maccabi Tel Aviv fans removing Palestinian flags from windows in the Dutch capital. In one of the videos, a group chanted an insulting slogan about Gaza and the Palestinians.

That same evening, and without any known connection between the two events, videos began circulating documenting attacks on Israelis on the streets of Amsterdam, with swear words in Arabic and English heard in the background.

Felix Tamsut contributed to this report.

kb/sms (AFP, Reuters, AP, DPA)