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Echoes of Kristallnacht 1938:  Violent Muslim Attacks Target Israeli Soccer Fans in Amsterdam in Most Egregious Form of Jew Hatred

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In this image taken from video, police escort Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters to the metro station leading them to the Ajax stadium, after pro-Palestinian supporters marched near the stadium, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP Photo InterVision)
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Echoes of Kristallnacht 1938:  Violent Muslim Attacks Target Israeli Soccer Fans in Amsterdam in Most Egregious Form of Jew Hatred

Edited by: Fern Sidman

A harrowing scene unfolded in the Netherlands on Thursday evening as hundreds of Israeli soccer fans, gathered to support the Maccabi Tel Aviv team in a match against Ajax, were targeted in what Yeshiva World News (YWN) described as a coordinated and violent assault by groups of Arabs in Amsterdam. The incident, which involved hundreds of attackers lying in wait at various city locations, left many Israeli fans severely injured and traumatized. YWN reported that the attack, which took place primarily at train stations, hotels, and casinos, was premeditated, with Israeli security officials reportedly alerting Dutch authorities to a potential threat – a warning that went unheeded.

According to the report at YWN, the assailants carried out the attacks with alarming ferocity, employing tactics that included running people over with vehicles, physical assaults, and even attempted abductions. Many victims were coerced into chanting “Free Palestine” in Arabic (“Frei Palestine”), a particularly humiliating experience for the Israeli fans who had traveled from abroad to enjoy the game. The brutality was underscored by an incident in which an Israeli was allegedly thrown into a canal and forced to shout the slogan before being allowed to exit the water.

Reports indicate that the attackers took advantage of the confusion and lack of police presence, with some even documenting the violence on social media. Videos and images circulated online of the premeditated pogrom show Israelis being beaten, humiliated, and stripped of their belongings, with photos of stolen Israeli passports making the rounds on various platforms. YWN highlighted that a number of Israelis were initially reported missing and unreachable following the attack, though all have since been accounted for.

Ironically, this coordinated pogrom that was orchestrated by Muslim Uber drivers in Amsterdam occurred on the anniversary of the commemoration of Kristallnacht, also known as the “Night of Broken Glass” or the “November Pogrom,” that occurred over November 9–10, 1938 throughout Germany. The night which would mark an irrevocable descent into violence and hatred in Nazi Germany was a mass-scale, state-sanctioned attack against Jewish communities throughout Germany, resulting in devastation that would foreshadow the horrors yet to come in the Holocaust.

By the end of the night, the extent of the destruction was staggering. More than 7,500 Jewish businesses had been vandalized, their windows shattered, their interiors ransacked, and their owners left with little to salvage. Over 1,200 synagogues were desecrated, looted, and burned to the ground, leaving communities across the country bereft of their places of worship. Tragically, at least 90 Jewish people lost their lives during the pogrom, many of them beaten to death in their own homes or on the streets.

In this image taken from video, police escort Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters to the metro station leading them to the Ajax stadium, after pro-Palestinian supporters marched near the stadium, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP Photo InterVision)

In Amsterdam, the lack of police intervention has been a focal point of criticism, with Israeli fans expressing profound frustration over the delayed response. One Israeli witness told Kan News, as reported by YWN, that police presence was virtually nonexistent in the immediate aftermath of the game, despite the conspicuous presence of groups waiting to attack. According to this account, it took approximately 30-45 minutes for law enforcement to intervene, and even then, police action was reportedly triggered only after firecrackers were hurled at bystanders and into buildings.

Another Israeli, who identified himself as Dan, described to YWN a terrifying ordeal in which small groups of attackers—often numbering between 10 to 15 people—lay in wait along the main street from the central train station, assaulting passersby with sticks. This pattern repeated itself across several streets in Amsterdam, with the violent situation reportedly lasting over an hour before the police arrived. Dan and others recounted how assailants on motorbikes and cars would try to block their paths or run them down, while those who failed to respond to their inquiries about nationality were promptly attacked.

In this image taken from video, pro-Palestinian supporters march with Palestinian flags near the Ajax stadium in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP Photo InterVision)

The atmosphere in Amsterdam remained tense for the Israelis even after they managed to reach relative safety. The YWN report recounted how many Israelis were forced to take refuge in their hotels, with some reporting that vehicles with pro-Palestinian supporters were driving by, photographing them. The fear and distrust were palpable; and one Israeli told YWN, “No one offered to help us, but we will not go to the hospital. I don’t trust anyone here.”

The police’s actions during the eventual intervention have also drawn criticism. According to some Israeli victims, Dutch officers, seemingly intimidated by the pro-Palestinian crowd, resorted to using batons on both sides, a response that left the Israeli fans feeling further victimized. The lack of an adequate police response from the outset has raised questions among Israeli attendees, who feel that their warnings were ignored, leading to the devastating violence that unfolded.

This wave of attacks has sent shockwaves through the Jewish and Israeli communities, with YWN reporting on the significant impact it has had on the morale and sense of safety of those involved. Israeli officials have expressed concern over what they see as a serious lapse in security measures, and there is growing frustration over the Dutch authorities’ failure to take preemptive action in light of the warnings provided. Many are left wondering how such a brazen attack could have taken place in a city known for its open and tolerant reputation, and the event has exposed fault lines in the protections afforded to foreign visitors, particularly those from Jewish or Israeli backgrounds.

In this image taken from video, police escort Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters to the metro, after pro-Palestinian supporters marched near the soccer stadium, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP Photo InterVision)

According to the YWN report, this violence was not spontaneous but a calculated ambush coordinated through a Telegram group reportedly populated by Uber drivers in the Netherlands, many of whom are Muslim. This group shared information on the locations of Israeli fans and circulated videos of violent assaults as they took place. One chilling message in the group urged others to “Hang Palestinian flags around the city, they will come there like rats.” The hate-fueled rhetoric was pervasive, with members referring to Jews as “baby killers” and “cancer,” further inflaming an already volatile situation.

On Friday YWN reported that it is calling for a global boycott of Uber in response to the horrific, organized attack.

Reports reveal that Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Ministry had warned Dutch security officials about the threat to Israelis on three separate occasions, hoping to avert the impending danger. The warnings included intelligence about planned violent protests, threats against an Israeli Border Police officer, and credible indications that Arabs were organizing to attack the Leonardo Hotel, where many Israeli fans were staying. These warnings, communicated by the Shin Bet and the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office to the Dutch authorities, were intended to ensure the safety of the thousands of Israelis who had come to Amsterdam for the match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax. Despite this, as YWN reported, local Dutch forces failed to implement the necessary measures to protect the Israeli fans.

The aftermath of the attacks was chaotic and terrifying. Many Israelis, including families and children, were ambushed at various points in the city. Some were reportedly run over by vehicles, while others had knives pulled on them. YWN quoted an Israeli individual who recently completed a four-month military reserve duty in Gaza, expressing his disbelief and fear at the level of violence: “What I experienced here is no less scary… They ran over me and pulled a knife on me. I am slightly injured, but I am not ready to receive treatment here, only in Israel.” He continued to describe the atmosphere as a “war,” with no police presence in sight, recounting how Jews had been left defenseless in the streets, surrounded by attackers.

The organized nature of the assaults led to a sense of abandonment among the Israeli fans. YWN reported that groups of attackers were present throughout the city, as one Israeli observed, “Every fourth person walking the street is a Muslim who came to attack Jews.” With a large number of Israelis gathered in hotels, particularly the Leonardo Hotel, local police reportedly restricted their movement, advising them to stay indoors to avoid further danger. As YWN detailed, the result was a community of hundreds of Israeli nationals confined in fear, unable to freely move or secure assistance from local authorities.

The IDF’s Home Front Command was primed to launch a full-scale rescue mission to evacuate affected Israelis from the Netherlands. In a prepared statement, the IDF outlined that the mission would be executed “with the cooperation of various IDF directorates, branches, and Israeli security authorities.” However, after an initial assessment, officials determined that a civilian-led evacuation using commercial flights would suffice, thus bypassing the need for a full-scale military operation. As reported by YWN, this decision came after the successful organization of rescue flights by civilian airlines, including additional emergency flights arranged by El Al and Israir to expedite the safe return of Israeli nationals.Donatebalance of nature>

Despite not needing the IDF’s larger operation, an initial rescue team from the IDF’s Home Front Command was dispatched to Amsterdam in the early morning hours. The team’s mission was to assess the ground situation and provide immediate assistance if necessary. YWN reported that according to Army Radio, a second wave of rescue personnel—comprising additional medical and security staff—stood ready to deploy should further support be required. The IDF’s Home Front Command announced its readiness to receive dozens of injured individuals, with specialized units prepared to enter Dutch hospitals if needed to locate, stabilize, and accompany Israelis back to Israel.

Faced with this dire situation, Israel’s Chief Rabbanim, HaRav Dovid Yosef and HaRav Kalman Bar, issued a heter, permitting El Al Airlines to operate rescue flights on Shabbat to evacuate the stranded Israelis in Amsterdam. This decision, sanctioned under the extraordinary circumstances, was intended to prioritize the safety of the Israeli nationals over Sabbath restrictions. YWN noted that the permission for these flights was set to be reviewed hourly, depending on the evolving situation.

In response to the crisis, Israel’s Transportation Ministry instructed El Al and Israir Airlines to add three additional flights to Amsterdam, supplementing the three regularly scheduled flights. For Israelis whose passports had been lost or stolen in the chaos, special permissions were granted to allow them to board flights without documentation, illustrating the urgency of their evacuation. This measure, unprecedented in typical travel protocols, reflects the grave nature of the situation and Israel’s commitment to ensuring the safe return of its citizens.

The attacks in Amsterdam have sparked outrage and concern in Israel and among Jewish communities worldwide. The incident has raised questions about the effectiveness of Dutch security forces in safeguarding foreign nationals and has exposed the potential consequences of unchecked online hate rhetoric.

This episode also serves as a somber reminder of the challenges faced by Jewish communities in European cities, where anti-Semitic sentiments have often translated into violence. The coordination of these attacks through digital platforms, as reported by YWN, has raised alarms about the role of social media in facilitating hate crimes and the imperative for international collaboration to monitor and counter such networks.

For the Israelis who experienced these horrific events firsthand, the journey home is one not just of physical escape but also of emotional recovery. As YWN has highlighted, the trauma inflicted during these coordinated assaults will linger, highlighting the importance of addressing the roots of such hatred and protecting vulnerable communities.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed on Friday morning that he held an urgent call with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof. During the conversation, Netanyahu stressed the paramount importance of ensuring the security of Israeli citizens in the Netherlands. Expressing profound concern over the targeted nature of the attack, Netanyahu urged his Dutch counterpart to enhance protections not only for Israeli visitors but also for the broader Jewish community in the Netherlands. YWN reported that Netanyahu’s message reflected the Israeli government’s stance that such anti-Semitic violence should be met with a zero-tolerance approach.

In response to the distressing situation, Dutch political figures issued statements condemning the violence. Dutch Prime Minister Schoof expressed his disgust on social media, stating, “I followed the news from Amsterdam with disgust.” He denounced the attacks in strong terms, emphasizing his commitment to upholding public safety and protecting international visitors.

 The Times of Israel reported that European and world leaders strongly condemned the anti-Semitic attacks in Amsterdam late Tuesday night, which King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands said were reminiscent of “dark and grim times for the Jewish people.”

“We failed the Jewish community of the Netherlands during World War II, and last night we failed again,” the Dutch king said to Israeli President Isaac Herzog in a phone call on Friday morning, according to a readout.

The king expressed “deep horror and shock” over the attacks, and told Herzog that it must be “unequivocally condemned.”

Geert Wilders, the leader of the Party for Freedom and a prominent member of the Dutch government, was particularly outspoken, going so far as to describe the events as a “Jew hunt” on the streets of Amsterdam. In a scathing post on X (formerly Twitter), Wilders demanded swift action, calling for the “arrest and deportation of the multicultural scum that attacked Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters.” His statement drew attention to an alarming trend of anti-Semitism within the Netherlands. He later characterized the events as “a pogrom in the streets of Amsterdam” and condemned what he described as “Muslims with Palestinian flags hunting down Jews.” Wilders’ fierce rhetoric emphasized his unwillingness to tolerate any form of anti-Semitic violence, and he vowed to hold relevant authorities accountable for failing to prevent the attacks.

The events in Amsterdam are part of a broader trend of anti-Semitic sentiment and violence that has shaken Europe in recent years. As YWN noted, the use of Palestinian flags and slogans in this attack reveals how geopolitical conflicts can manifest as local anti-Semitic violence in European cities, particularly where significant migrant and Muslim populations reside. Wilders’ reference to the Netherlands as the “Gaza of Europe” reflects a growing perception among some political leaders that anti-Semitic incidents in Europe are being fueled by global tensions over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

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