Israeli soccer fans clash with protesters in Amsterdam | Israel-Palestine Conflicts News

The details of the incidents are unclear, but Maccabi Tel Aviv fans damaged Palestinian flags in the city before the game.

Israeli soccer fans clashed with pro-Palestinian protesters before and after a Europa League soccer match between their club Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax in Amsterdam, according to media reports and officials.

The clashes reportedly took place outside the Johan Cruyff Arena on Thursday night, the city’s main stadium and home of Ajax Amsterdam. Ajax won the match 5-0 after leading 3-0 at halftime.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry said 10 Israelis were injured and two were “missing” after the clashes, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said planes would be sent to bring back its citizens.

Netanyahu “views the shocking incident with great strength and demands that the Dutch government and security forces take strict and swift action against the protesters, and ensure the safety of our citizens,” his office said in a statement on Friday.

It did not specify what led to what it called “a very violent incident for Israeli citizens”, but Dutch broadcaster AT5 reported clashes on Thursday night between fans at the game.

A lot of fighting and vandalism took place in the city center, the report said, adding that “numerous” mobile units and reinforcements had been called in.

At least 57 people were arrested after the game, a police spokesman told ANP media, as Palestinian protesters tried to reach the stadium, even though the city had forbidden them to protest there.

However, police said fans left the stadium without incident, but clashes were reported in the city during the night.

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said he followed news of the fighting “with trepidation”, adding that “the perpetrators will be tracked down and prosecuted”.

In a Friday text on social media platform X, Shoof said: “It is absolutely unacceptable for Israelis to attack Israel. I am close to all those involved.”

The Israeli military said on Friday it was preparing to launch an immediate rescue operation in cooperation with the Dutch government, including medical teams and rescuers.

‘Damaged flags’

Palestinian and Israeli media reports suggested that violence broke out between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans when Israeli fans damaged Palestinian flags in the city.

On Thursday, the police said on social media that they are very vigilant about politically motivated incidents, including the destruction of a Palestinian flag on a building.

Videos on social media captured the alleged incident, showing Israeli supporters shouting slogans as someone lowered the flag.

There were also clashes with the police before the match as hundreds of Maccabi fans gathered in the city center and set off fireworks, media reports said.

These conflicts are reported to have broken out despite the ban on the Palestinian demonstration by the Mayor of Amsterdam, Femke Halsema, who feared that conflicts would break out between the demonstrators and the supporters of the Israeli football team.

The Israeli club was founded in 1906 in Jaffa, now part of Tel Aviv. They are languishing at the bottom of the Europa League table this season, in 35th place out of 36.

Their next match in the Europa League on November 28 will be against Turkish side Besiktas, based in Istanbul. However, following the decision of the Turkish authorities, the match will be played in a “neutral place”.