MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Pogrom against Israeli football fans in Amsterdam

The Israeli fans were to be evacuated through rescue flights shortly

Israeli football fans were ambushed and some of them went missing Thursday evening in Amsterdam in the aftermath of a match between FC Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv. In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent two emergency flights to evacuate Israelis from the Dutch city as observers worldwide concurred on the use of the word “Pogrom,” which historically refers to an organized massacre of a particular ethnic group, particularly that of Jewish people in Russia or eastern Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

A Dutch police spokeswoman said 57 people have been arrested as riot police were deployed. Video footage on social media showed what the Maccabi fans were subjected to. According to the Amsterdam TV station AT5, demonstrators threw chairs at Maccabi fans. Citing the country's foreign ministry, Israeli media reported that ten Israelis were injured. Two more people were reported missing. The Israeli newspaper Maariw reported that there had been an attempted kidnapping. Mobile police forces are said to have later shielded the Israelis and escorted them to their hotels.

The Prime Minister's Office said Netanyahu views the “horrifying incident with utmost gravity” and called on the Dutch government and security forces to take “vigorous and swift action against the rioters.” Netanyahu was also said to have spoken with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof in the wee hours of Friday to ask him for increased security for the Jewish community in the Netherlands.

 Graphic videos 

Hundreds of fans of the @MaccabiTLVFC soccer team were ambushed and attacked in Amsterdam tonight as they left the stadium following a game against @AFCAjax.

The mob who targeted these innocent Israelis has proudly shared their violent acts on social media.… pic.twitter.com/R3vRAIKrIG

— Embassy of Israel to the USA (@IsraelinUSA) November 8, 2024

Schoof said on X that he had been following the events “with horror.” He also vowed that the perpetrators would be found and held accountable.

In the meantime, Israel's National Security Council warned Israelis and Jews in the Netherlands to “avoid movements in the street and lock yourself in hotel rooms.“ In addition, ”the externalization of Israeli and Jewish symbols must be avoided.”

“The Dutch police sold us out so that the Arabs would lynch us,” an Israeli fan was quoted as saying. “We were ambushedÖThe police here abandoned us. Every fourth person walking the street is a Muslim who has come to attack Jews.”

“This seems like a PLANNED and ORGANIZED POGROM in Amsterdam,” former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett posted on social media. “At these moments, Arabs are rampaging around and brutally beating Israeli tourists in a way that seems life-threatening,” he added. “I am calling on everyone who can, to act by any means to save their lives. Wake up,” wrote Bennett in both Hebrew and English.

Israel's newly appointed Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar confirmed in an official statement that he was handling the incident, directly liaising with the Israeli ambassador to the Netherlands, alongside Prime Minister Netanyahu. He also posted a hotline for Israelis and Jews in danger, urging those “in need of assistance to call one of these numbers: +97225303155, +31634138229.”

Israel's Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon urged the global agency to condemn the pogrom. “These are the true faces of the supporters of the radical terrorism we are fighting,” he wrote. “The Western world needs to wake up now!! This is the time when the UN should immediately and clearly condemn the violence of the Palestinians and their supporters. The Dutch authorities must take decisive action against terrorism now.”

Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders said the Netherlands had become Europe's Gaza. “Muslims with Palestinian flags hunting down Jews. I will NOT accept that. NEVER. The authorities will be held accountable for their failure to protect the Israeli citizens. Never again,” he stressed.

Earlier Thursday, there were also clashes between Israeli fans and Dutch law enforcement in downtown Amsterdam, resulting in 10 detentions for disturbing public order and the illegal possession of fireworks. The atmosphere was already heating up before the match. On the way to the stadium, some Israeli fans were said to be chanting something like “There are no schools in Gaza because there are no more children.”

The riots occurred despite Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema having banned an Israel-hating demonstration due to fears of clashes between demonstrators and supporters of the Israeli club.