An Israeli who identified himself as Dan said that as Israelis walked from the central train station on the main street, they were attacked by groups of 10 to 15 Arabs waiting on every block, who beat them with sticks. The situation continued for over an hour before the police arrived.
“They were waiting on every street corner, some on motorbikes, and after asking us where we were from, tried to block our way or run us over,” another Israeli said. “If you didn’t answer them, they started beating you up. Within seconds more people join in. Me and my friend were captured a number of times, I can barely walk.”
“No one offered to help us but we will not go to hospital. I don’t trust anyone here,” he said. “The police beat us with their batons because they were afraid of the pro-Palestinians. We are now in the hotel and outside, cars and motorbikes drive by taking pictures.”
Israel’s Channel 12 News reported that a Telegram group for cab drivers in the Netherlands [many Muslims in European cities are cab drivers] was used to coordinate the lynchings of Israeli soccer fans, with group members sharing locations of Israelis and videos of violent attacks. One group member wrote: “Hang Palestinian flags around the city, they will come there like rats.”
Group members justified the rioters: “Baby killers. Jews are cancer, baby killers have no rights.”
Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Ministry revealed on Friday morning that Dutch security officials had received three separate warnings about the possibility of attacks against Israelis, including a warning about violent protests, harming an individual fan who is an Israeli Border Police officer, and a warning that Arabs were planning to raid the Leonardo Hotel where Israelis were staying.
The ministry said that the warnings were sent to Dutch security forces who were responsible for the security of the fans by the Shin Bet and the Prime Minister’s Office. The Border Police officer was also informed of the threat by Israeli security officials.
“Unfortunately, the local forces failed in their mission of protecting Israeli soccer fans,” the Diaspora Affairs Ministry stated: “As of 3:30 a.m., we have transferred additional information from the networks which are assisting the security forces.”
Ynet quoted an Israeli as saying: “I finished a four-month reserve in Gaza, and what I experienced here is no less scary. There is a war out here. 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. We were ambushed. I saw with my own eyes children who were caught in explosions. They are everywhere. No police, complete chaos. Everything was pre-planned. The police here abandoned us. Every fourth person walking the street is a Muslim who came to attack Jews. I’m with hundreds of other Jews in a hotel, the police don’t allow us to leave.”
Israel’s newly appointed Chief Rabbanim, HaRav Dovid Yosef and HaRav Kalman Bar paskened that El Al can fly to Amsterdam on Shabbos to rescue the Israelis. The heter will be re-evaluated based on hourly situational assessments.
Israel’s Transportation Ministry instructed El Al and Israir to add three flights to Amsterdam to rescue Israelis in addition to the three regularly scheduled flights. Israelis whose passports were stolen or lost will be allowed to board the flights without passports.
The IDF’s Home Front Command prepared to launch a rescue mission, “with the cooperation of various IDF directorates, branches, and Israeli security authorities,” the IDF said in a statement. It was later determined that IDF rescue flights were not needed, with civilian flights sufficing to handle the situation.
As of noon on Friday (Israeli time), Dutch police had arrested 62 Muslim perpetrators.
Army Radio reported that the first Israeli rescue plane took off in the early morning hours, with a small and initial rescue team from the Home Front Command, which will arrive first in Amsterdam to assess the situation.
In the next two hours, if necessary, another rescue team will take off with an additional Air Force plane – which includes dozens of people – most of them medical personnel and some security personnel.
The Home Front Command stated that it is prepared to receive up to dozens of injured victims. The national rescue unit of the Home Front Command is also preparing for a scenario in which there is no clear situation and forces will need to locate injured individuals whose whereabouts and condition are unknown.
Forces are also preparing to go to the hospitals in the Netherlands and to accompany injured individuals on air travel.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s office reported on Friday morning that he spoke with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof and emphasized the utmost importance of the Dutch government ensuring the safety of all Israelis in the Netherlands, including those injured and affected by the events.
Netanyahu noted that he views the planned antisemitic attack against Israeli citizens with great seriousness and requested to enhance security for the Jewish community in the Netherlands.
Schoof later condemned the attack. “I followed the news from Amsterdam with disgust,” he wrote on X.
Dutch right-wing leader Geert Wilders condemned the attack more forcefully: “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.”
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