Following last night's antisemitic pogrom in Amsterdam, El Al announced that it will operate rescue flights from the destination to Tel Aviv at short notice, including on Shabbat. The flights will be free of charge, the first flight will take off from Amsterdam at 2:00 p.m. (local time), and is expected to land back in Tel Aviv later today.
Hundreds of fans of the Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer team reported that they were attacked overnight Thursday by Arabs in Amsterdam, as they left the stadium following Maccabi’s game against AFC Ajax.
The fans testified that an ambush had been prepared for them in advance at various points outside the stadium.
Disturbing footage from the city, which was posted to social media, fans are seen being violently attacked, beaten and even run over. One of the fans was forced to say "Free Palestine" before he was let go. Some of the fans barricaded themselves in shops and other places in the city. The local police escorted some of the Israelis back to their hotels.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said that ten fans were injured and that three people are unaccounted for, and efforts to get in touch with them are ongoing.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this morning spoke with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof following the pogrom.
Prime Minister Netanyahu said that he views with utmost gravity the planned antisemitic attack against Israeli citizens and requested that security be increased for the Dutch Jewish community.
The Prime Minister thanked his Dutch counterpart for expressing shock over last night's events and for saying that it was an extraordinary and antisemitic event.
Pursuant to the Prime Minister's directive, Israeli planes are now en route to the Netherlands to bring back the [Israeli] citizens, including the wounded.
Dutch right-wing leader Geert Wilders condemned the violence and wrote on X, “Looks like a Jew hunt in the streets of Amsterdam. Arrest and deport the multicultural scum that attacked Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters in our streets. Ashamed that this can happen in The Netherlands. Totally unacceptable.”
He later posted again about the incident and wrote, “A pogrom in the streets of Amsterdam. We have become the Gaza of Europe. Muslims with Palestinian flags hunting down Jews. I will NOT accept that. NEVER.”
“The authorities will be held accountable for their failure to protect the Israeli citizens. Never again,” he added.