Fans told Haaretz that some attacks seemed like planned ambushes, as at least 10 Israelis were wounded ■ Israel's National Security Council confirmed local security forces are deployed, while the Foreign Ministry reported two Israelis remain unaccounted for ■ Dutch PM condemned the attacks as 'unacceptable antisemitic acts' ■ Israel's Diaspora Ministry said it warned Netherlands about intention to target Israelis
Israeli soccer fans who traveled to the Netherlands for the Maccabi Tel Aviv vs. Ajax Amsterdam Europa League match on Thursday were attacked at several locations across Amsterdam after the game. Assailants shouted “Free Palestine” and hurled insults in Arabic as they targeted Israelis.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry reported that 10 Israelis were wounded in the attacks, and contact has been lost with two others, though relatives told Haaretz the number of missing may be higher.
Local police reported that 62 people were arrested after the game as pro-Palestinian demonstrators attempted to reach the stadium despite a protest ban.
Dutch police have opened a major investigation into the violent incidents. While rumors about potential hostages circulated on social media, no evidence has been found to support these claims at this point. Some of the missing Israelis have since been located.
Israel’s National Security Council and Foreign Ministry announced that local security forces have been deployed across Amsterdam, and Israelis can currently reach the airport using public transport, updating their earlier instruction for Israelis in the city to remain in their hotel rooms.
Many of the attacks appeared to be planned ambushes, with attackers waiting at various points in the city as fans returned from the match by train. Videos circulating online show assailants confronting Israelis, asking where they are from, and then beating anyone they believe to be Israeli.
One fan, Yaakov Masri, told Israel’s Channel 13 News that he was attacked by around 15 young Arab men, some of whom were armed with knives and clubs, as he left the game with his son.
“They started hitting us, they broke my face, knocked out a tooth, cut my lip,” he said. “My son got punched twice in the face.” He added that he is now locked in his hotel room with tables blocking the door. “We called the police to send a patrol car, but they said they’re occupied with other incidents. I’m in pain,” he said.
Another fan, Yarin Chai Yitzhak, reported being punched in the face and kicked in the stomach. He added that after the incident, local police escorted him back to his hotel to retrieve his belongings.
Following the attacks, the Israeli military banned all IDF personnel from traveling to the Netherlands until further notice.
After the Israeli army announced it would send a rescue delegation to Amsterdam “in coordination with the Dutch government,” the Prime Minister’s Office reversed the decision and said it would focus its efforts on “civilian solutions” for Israeli citizens staying in Amsterdam.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog spoke with King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, urging swift action against the violence and antisemitism in Amsterdam and immediate help to evacuate Israelis. The king strongly condemned the attack, comparing it to the Netherlands’ failure to protect Jews during the Holocaust, stating, “We failed the Jewish community of the Netherlands during World War II, and last night we failed again.”
Amsterdam’s mayor, Femke Halsema, acknowledged the violence, stating that despite a massive police presence, Israeli fans were injured. She also announced additional security measures to protect Jewish institutions in the city.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Office condemned the attacks: “The prime minister demands that the Dutch government and security forces act firmly against the rioters and ensure the safety of our citizens,” a statement read.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof expressed strong condemnation of the attacks, describing them as “completely unacceptable antisemitic attacks on Israelis,” and assured Netanyahu that those responsible would be tracked down and prosecuted.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced that he will travel to Amsterdam in the coming hours, where he will meet with his Dutch counterpart and local Jewish community leaders. Sa’ar said that Israel is in contact with Dutch authorities, and has asked them to help ensure Israeli citizens’ safe arrival at the airport.
Israel’s Diaspora Ministry issued a warning about potential attacks on Israelis in Amsterdam, following a serious alert received around 7 P.M. The warning highlighted a planned pro-Palestinian demonstration, with specific threats to a Border Police soldier attending the game and possible clashes near the Leonardo Hotel, where Israelis were staying.
Yad Vashem expressed concern over the escalation of antisemitism in the Netherlands, with Chairman Dani Dayan pointing out the troubling timing, as the anniversary of Kristallnacht approaches. “It is alarming that 86 years later, we’re witnessing another planned attack on Jews,” he said.
Far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders wrote on X that it “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.”
Several other Dutch politicians, including Dilan Yesilgöz, Rob Jetten, and Mirjam Bikker, expressed outrage, with Yesilgöz calling it “pure hatred against Jews” and Jetten describing the attacks as “horrific” and “shameful.” Frans Timmermans of the GroenLinks-PvdA party demanded swift action, stating, “It is unacceptable that Jewish Israelis don’t feel safe in Amsterdam.”
Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett also shared videos on social media showing attacks on Israelis, while National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called the incidents an example of “unimaginable cruelty” toward Jewish and Israeli citizens.
According to Dutch media, the incidents in Amsterdam did not come out of the blue. On Wednesday, Amsterdam Mayor Halsema banned a pro-Palestinian demonstration scheduled to take place near the stadium where Maccabi Tel Aviv played, and she informed council members that authorities were aware of rising tensions over the war in Gaza. Additionally, at least two people were arrested Thursday following a clash between pro-Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli fans in the city center.
The Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reported that on the night between Wednesday and Thursday, Israelis set fire to a Palestinian flag in a square in Amsterdam and attacked drivers in the area.
Videos on social media showed Israeli fans singing songs expressing joy over the deaths of Palestinians in Gaza and chanting, “Let the IDF win – let’s fuck the Arabs.” In another video, an Israeli was filmed removing a Palestinian flag from a building, while his friends cheered and shouted, “Burn it already, and be done with it.”
According to the RTL website, Israeli Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters, described as “hooligans,” were involved in several clashes on Thursday night, including fights with pro-Palestinian groups and an assault on a taxi driver. After the incident, other taxi drivers reportedly confronted the Israeli fans, who later took refuge in the Amsterdam Casino.
The site POW published images of Israeli fans removing Palestinian flags from houses in the city, including one large flag on Rokin street while shouting, “Fuck you, Palestine.” There are also reports of a Palestinian flag being set on fire.
Additionally, Ajax fans, whose club is traditionally associated with Jewish identity in the Netherlands, hung pamphlets against Maccabi Tel Aviv and displayed Palestinian flags in areas where Israeli fans were staying.
