Attacks on Israeli fans in the Netherlands prompts prime minister to cancel climate talks trip

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof on Saturday canceled a trip to United Nations climate talks in Azerbaijan so he can stay in the Netherlands to deal with the fallout from assaults on fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer team in Amsterdam that authorities condemned as antisemitic.

The government will discuss the Thursday night violence at a Cabinet meeting on Monday, Schoof posted on X, saying that he would hold talks on tackling antisemitism on Tuesday.

Police launched a large-scale investigation after gangs of youths conducted what Amsterdam's mayor called “hit and run” attacks on fans that were apparently inspired by calls on social media to target Jewish people. Five people were treated at hospitals and more than 60 suspects were arrested. Amsterdam police said that four of the suspects remained jailed Saturday.

In addition to the police investigation and an independent inquiry announced by Amsterdam's mayor, Dutch Justice and Security Minister David van Weel said in a letter to lawmakers that the government is investigating whether warnings of possible violence from Israel were overlooked in the lead up to the Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar rushed to the Netherlands on Friday and offered Israel's help in the police investigation. He met Saturday with Dutch counterpart Caspar Veldkamp.

Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema said that the Netherlands' counterterror watchdog had reported before the match there was no “concrete threat” to Israeli fans, and the match wasn't considered a high risk.

Even so, Amsterdam authorities banned a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside the Johan Cruyff Arena where Thursday night’s match was played. Video also showed a large crowd of Israeli fans chanting anti-Arab slogans on their way to the game. Afterward, youths on scooters and on foot went in search of Israeli fans, punching and kicking them and then fleeing quickly to evade hundreds of police officers deployed around the city, Halsema said.

Schoof returned early from a European Union summit in Hungary and met Friday night with representatives of the Jewish community in the Netherlands.

“It was a compelling conversation about the sadness and uncertainty experienced in the Jewish community. Every day they experience the consequences of growing antisemitism in the Netherlands,” Schoof said on X.

A ban on demonstrations was in place throughout Amsterdam over the weekend, and security was beefed up at Jewish sites in the city, which has a large Jewish community and was home to Jewish World War II diarist Anne Frank and her family as they hid from Nazi occupiers.