Amsterdam riots: the Israeli Foreign Minister travels to the Netherlands – Reports of taxi drivers involved in the beatings

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar will travel to the Netherlands on Friday following yesterday’s riots, The Times of Israel news website reports, to talk to Dutch authorities about the wild riots in Amsterdam.

The perpetrators of the Amsterdam clashes against Maccabi Tel Aviv fans will be identified and punished, Dutch Justice Minister David van Veil has meanwhile said. “We should be ashamed to death,” said the minister, who is preparing to receive his Israeli counterpart. “I will welcome him on behalf of the cabinet and tell him what we have done to keep these fans safe,” Van Vil added.

The role of taxi drivers in the attacks
is also being investigated.

Meanwhile, in addition to the possible hostage situation, Dutch police are investigating reports that Amsterdam taxi drivers “played a major role in the beatings of Israeli fans”. According to a spokesman, police “have not yet actually established this as such,” but the reports have reached the department “and we are investigating them.”

Central Jewish Advisory Committee (CJO) chairman Kanan Herzberger pointed to the role of taxi drivers in a statement on Friday. “There even seems to be communication on apps that shows that they meticulously prepared this pogrom, because that’s what it was. They moved in groups where they cornered their targets. There are videos circulating of beatings and of attempts to run over Israelis.” According to Herzberger, this “obvious role of the taxi drivers meant that the chased soccer fans had no way to get to safety.”

Israel has sent 'rescue planes' to Amsterdam after locals came after and attacked numerous Israeli 'Maccabi Tel Aviv' fans for tearing down Palestinian flags, chanting "F*ck Palestine," and mocking dead children in Gaza, before the Champions' League Match against 'Ajax.'

Some… pic.twitter.com/LUPo2Kt2xy

— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) November 8, 2024

Reactions from politicians – “Anti-Semitism has no place in Europe,” says von der Leyen

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed her outrage at last night’s riots in Amsterdam in a Twitter post.

“Outraged by last night’s vile attacks on Israeli citizens in Amsterdam. I strongly condemn these unacceptable acts. Anti-Semitism has no place in Europe. And we are determined to fight all forms of hatred.”

The Israeli military has said it is preparing to deploy an immediate rescue mission following "a very violent incident" targeting Israeli citizens in Amsterdam.

The incident has reportedly been linked to a football match where Ajax Amsterdam defeated Maccabi Tel Aviv. pic.twitter.com/Eo4hFyJqxx

— Sky News (@SkyNews) November 8, 2024

And Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schof condemned these “unacceptable anti-Semitic attacks against Israelis” in a post on X and said he had spoken to Netanyahu.

Far-right Dutch leader Geert Wilders called it a “pogrom”. “We have become the Gaza of Europe,” he said, adding that Muslims with Palestinian flags were chasing Jews.

Outraged by last night’s vile attacks targeting Israeli citizens in Amsterdam.

I just spoke with @MinPres Schoof.

I strongly condemn these unacceptable acts.

Antisemitism has absolutely no place in Europe. And we are determined to fight all forms of hatred.

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) November 8, 2024

Israel’s ambassador to the UN also referred to the incidents, calling them a “pogrom.”

Stephen Seibert, Germany’s ambassador to Israel, condemned the incidents. “Chasing and beating Israeli fans is not an anti-war protest,” he wrote in X. “It is criminal and unacceptable and we should all stand up against it. As a European, I am ashamed to see such scenes in one of our great cities.”

Reaction from the United States

In New York, Jonathan Greenblatt, the head of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which bills itself as the world’s largest anti-hate organization, called on the Dutch government to guarantee the safety of Israeli fans, arrest and prosecute the perpetrators and apologize for the violence.

“This is exactly what the ‘globalization of the intifada’ is,” Greenblatt wrote on X, adding that “a hate-filled mob” attacked Israelis who went to Amsterdam to enjoy a football match.

Even New York Attorney General Letitia James reacted via X, calling the attacks on Jews in Amsterdam “deeply disturbing and horrific.” New York State, particularly metropolitan New York, has a large Jewish population.

“We must do everything we can to protect Jews in America and around the world,” he stressed. “This anti-Semitism and violence must end now.”

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