Israel bans soldiers from traveling to Netherlands after anti-Arab riot leaves several injured

Hebrew newspapers call what happened the Amsterdam massacre

After the end of a match for the Israeli team "Maccabi Tel Aviv", the team's fans removed the Palestinian flags from the homes of Dutch people who were in solidarity with the Palestinian cause in Amsterdam, and hung the Israeli flag instead, so a group of Moroccans "Algerians" attacked them... pic.twitter.com/DpiKgAdYWN

— Tamer | Tamer (@tamerqdh) November 8, 2024

Before the start of the match, other video clips showed Israeli fans provoking the Dutch fans in the stands, by refusing to stand for a minute of silence in mourning for the victims of the floods in Valencia, Spain. Rather, they lit fireworks during that minute while the rest of the fans remained silent.

Activists considered this behavior a response to Spain's position recognizing the State of Palestine, condemning the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza, and refusing to buy and sell weapons with Israel.

Earlier today, Amsterdam authorities said that rioters "actively sought to attack and assault Israeli fans... and in several places in the city fans were attacked."

The police had to intervene several times to protect the Israeli fans and escort them to hotels. Despite the heavy police presence in the city, Israeli fans were injured, according to news agencies.

Palestinian condemnation

For its part, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the Israelis' anti-Arab chants and the attack on the symbolism of the Palestinian flag in the capital, Amsterdam.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, "We condemn the anti-Arab chants and barbaric acts carried out by fans of one of the racist Israeli football clubs in Amsterdam over the course of 3 consecutive days."

He explained that these actions included attacking the Palestinian flag and taking it down from some places that symbolize support for Palestinian rights in the face of the crimes of the occupation and genocide in the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry called on the Dutch government to investigate the rioters and protect Palestinians and Arabs from these settlers and Israeli soldiers who went to the Netherlands to convey their racist ideas and crimes to European capitals, stressing its rejection of violence in all its forms.

She also warned against the escalation of racist thought and practices that these racist groups are trying to pass on, which constitutes hostility to the Palestinian identity and symbolism.

The United Nations expressed concern about the clashes in Amsterdam. "We have seen these disturbing reports," said Jeremy Laurence, spokesman for its human rights office. "No one should be subjected to discrimination or violence on the basis of their national origin, religion, ethnicity or any other grounds."

On the other hand, the Israeli Air Navigation Authority announced that the first plane designated to return fans from the Netherlands took off from Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv to return fans.

"The brutal images of the attack on our citizens in Amsterdam will not be ignored," a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said, adding that Netanyahu "views the horrific incident with the utmost seriousness."

Netanyahu's office called on the Dutch government to take "strong and swift action" against those involved, adding that he called for increased security for the Jewish community in the Netherlands.

Source: Agencies