Israel sends 'rescue planes' to Amsterdam after clashes

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu ordered two planes sent to the Netherlands after riots targeted Israeli fans at a soccer match. The Dutch Prime Minister denounced the attacks that led to 62 arrests.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday ordered two planes be sent to the Netherlands to bring home football fans following violent clashes in Amsterdam.

Netanyahu's office said in a statement on X that "two rescue planes” were being sent "to immediately assist our citizens."

"The harsh pictures of the assault on our citizens in Amsterdam will not be overlooked," the prime minister's office went on to say.

"Prime Minister Netanyahu views the horrifying incident with utmost gravity and demands that the Dutch government and security forces take vigorous and swift action against the rioters, and ensure the safety of our citizens," the statement read. 

Israel’s Foreign Ministry said that three Israelis were missing following the violent clashes and that 10 people had been injured, the extent of their injuries was not clear on Friday morning.

Dutch police said that five people required hospital treatment and that 62 arrests had been made.

Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. said in a statement on X that the team was in direct contact with Israel's Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Culture and Sports "to help coordinate the return of the fans who are in Amsterdam."

The club warned its supporters to stay inside their hotel rooms and cautioned supporters to avoid displaying Israeli or Jewish symbols.

Dutch PM denounces attacks

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof has condemned the incident saying on X that he "followed the news from Amsterdam with horror. Completely unacceptable antisemitic attacks on Israelis."

The Dutch leader said that he was in close communication with Netanyahu and that he had stressed that those responsible would be "tracked down and prosecuted." 

What happened in Amsterdam?

Some 3,000 Maccabi Tel Aviv fans attended their club's Europa League away game at Ajax Amsterdam.

Raz Amir, a journalist reporting on Maccabi Tel Aviv, tweeted that according to the testimonies he had heard from the supporters in attendance, the attack was "pre-coordinated."

According to Amir, the attackers "had precise information of where to wait [for the Maccabi supporters], and once they identified Israelis, they jumped on them with knives and bats."

The videos depicting the attacks after the game showed an Israeli being beaten and cornered by a group of black-clad young men.

Clashes broke out between pro-Palestinian demonstrators and Dutch police before the fixture who had reported "tensions" in several parts of the city in the run-up to the match, which Ajax won 5-0.

Amsterdam city authorities said that Thursday night was "very turbulent with several incidents aimed at Maccabi supporters." Rioters "actively sought out Israeli supporters to attack and abuse them" the local authority said in a statement.

In an earlier post on X, police said that a Palestinian flag had been pulled from a facade by "currently unknown persons." 

Police said later that several hundred Maccabi fans had gathered on Dam Square, where the atmosphere was reported to have been tense but then calmer.

A pro-Palestinian rally demonstrating against the Israeli football club's visit had initially been scheduled to take place near the stadium but was moved by city authorities for security reasons.

Clashes had taken place as part of the group of demonstrators tried to make their way to the stadium but were stopped by riot police, who were pelted with "heavy fireworks."

Police said they were maintaining a visible presence in the city.

Tensions ahead of the game

Even before the game, news of potential clashes made the rounds both on social media and in the media in Israel.

A report by Dutch newspaper Telegraaf even reported Mossad agents will accompany Maccabi Tel Aviv to the Netherlands due to the heightened risk.

Tensions were expected to be high also due to the fact that Turkish side Fenerbahce played away at AZ Alkmaar, just 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Amsterdam, with Turkish supporters known to support the Palestinian cause. 

The night before the game, videos started doing the rounds on social media allegedly depicting Maccabi Tel Aviv fans removing Palestinian flags from windows in the Dutch capital. In one of the videos, a group was singing an insulting chant about Gaza and Palestinians.

That same evening, and without any connection known to exist between the two developments, videos documenting attacks against Israelis on the streets of Amsterdam started circulating, with swear words in Arabic and English being heard in the background.

Felix Tamsut contributed to this report.

kb/sms (AFP, Reuters, AP, DPA)