Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dispatched two rescue planes to the Netherlands on Friday following reports of injuries to Israeli football fans during violence in Amsterdam.
“The Prime Minister is taking this disturbing incident very seriously and is insisting that the Dutch government and security agencies respond vigorously and swiftly to the rioters while ensuring the safety of our citizens,” stated his office.
The Prime Minister’s office did not specify what provoked the “extremely violent occurrence against Israeli citizens,” but Dutch media outlet AT5 mentioned that clashes started on Thursday night between fans during a Europa League match featuring Maccabi Tel-Aviv and Ajax.
The report indicated that numerous brawls, along with acts of vandalism, took place in the city centre.
The Israeli embassy in the United States announced that “hundreds” of Maccabi fans were “ambushed and assaulted in Amsterdam tonight after leaving the stadium post-game.”
In a post on the social media platform X, the embassy attributed the incident to a “mob targeting innocent Israelis.”
Israel’s newly appointed foreign minister, Gideon Saar, stated that he had sought the Dutch government’s help in ensuring the safe transport of Israeli citizens from their hotels to the airport.
On Thursday, Amsterdam police announced on social media that they were being especially vigilant following several incidents, including the removal of a Palestinian flag from a building.
A pro-Palestinian demonstration opposing the Israeli football club’s visit was initially planned near the stadium but was moved by the Amsterdam city council for security reasons.