Israeli football fans have faced a series of attacks in the centre of Amsterdam, officials say, with riot police having to intervene several times to protect them.
Prime Minister Dick Schoof condemned “antisemitic attacks” and Israel’s military spoke of “severe and violent incidents against Israelis”.
Amsterdam’s mayor and authorities said that despite a massive police presence, Israeli fans had been injured in several parts of the Dutch capital.
Supporters of Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv had travelled to Amsterdam for a Europa League match against Ajax.
The head of the Netherlands’ Central Jewish Committee (CJO) accused taxi drivers of helping to whip up the violence. “They moved in groups and cornered their targets. Videos are circulating of assaults and attempts to run over Israelis,” [/b]Chanan Hertzberger said.
Israeli airline El Al said it was operating two “rescue flights” to Amsterdam to bring passengers back to Israel. That was after after Netanyahu cancelled plans to send two military planes.
[b]Several videos circulated on social media, with one showing a man being kicked and beaten on the ground and another showing someone being run over. In some videos, people could be heard shouting pro-Palestinian slogans, although the footage has not been verified by the BBC.
Israeli officials urged citizens to remain in their hotels and public broadcaster Kan quoted the foreign ministry as saying it had lost contact with three people.
The US special envoy on antisemitism, Deborah Lipstadt, said she was horrified by the attacks in Amsterdam, which were “terribly reminiscent of a classic pogrom” and that she was deeply disturbed by how long they had lasted.
