Dutch police arrest 57 after attacks against Israeli football fans

AMSTERDAM – Dutch police arrested 57 people after clashes between Israeli and pro-Palestinian football fans in Amsterdam, with the leaders of the Netherlands and Israel condemning the “anti-Semitic” violence.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to Dutch counterpart Dick Schoof after Thursday night’s attacks and said he was sending two “rescue planes” to help Israeli citizens. The Israeli foreign ministry said 10 people were injured.
Amsterdam police said the people were arrested following a “riot” in various places across the city. They did not attribute blame to any set of fans, and said most of the people were charged with disturbing public order and carrying or setting off fireworks.
Maccabi Tel Aviv, the current Israeli champions, lost 5-0 to Ajax in Amsterdam in a match of the Union of European Football Associations (Uefa) Europa League on Thursday.
Netanyahu expressed his thanks to Schoof for the Dutch authorities’ efforts to calm the situation.
Netanyahu “views with utmost gravity the planned antisemitic attack against Israeli citizens and requested that security be increased for the Dutch Jewish community,” the office said in a statement on Friday.
The war in Gaza — started in October last year when Hamas attacked Israel — has led to rising anger against Israel across many countries. Hamas killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostages. More than 43,000 people have been killed due to Israel’s offensive on the Palestinian territory, according to the Hamas-run health ministry there. The conflict’s spread to Lebanon, with Israeli troops taking on Hezbollah.

Both Hamas and Hezbollah are militant groups backed by Iran and considered terrorist organizations by the United States and other countries.
Schoof cited “completely unacceptable anti-Semitic attacks on Israelis” in a post on X, formerly Twitter. He ensured Netanyahu that perpetrators would be prosecuted.
“It is now quiet in the capital,” Schoof said.