Dutch king: ‘We failed the Jewish community during WWII, last night we failed again’
EU leaders, UN official describe assaults on Israeli soccer fans as ‘vile’ and ‘deeply shameful’; Amsterdam mayor: ‘Men on scooters crisscrossed the city looking for Israeli fans’
European and world leaders strongly condemned the antisemitic attacks on Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam late Thursday 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 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.”
He also expressed his expectation that Dutch authorities take immediate action to ensure the safety of all Israelis and Jews in the Netherlands going forward, and Dutch authorities have confirmed that an investigation into the antisemitic nature of the attack is underway.
At least 10 Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were injured in an apparently organized, widespread attack by anti-Israel rioters — apparently Muslims and Arabs — in Amsterdam on Thursday night. Hundreds more people huddled in their hotels for hours, fearing they could be attacked again when trying to reach their flights home.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof denounced the “unacceptable antisemitic attacks on Israelis.” He added that he had spoken with his Israeli counterpart Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to assure him that “the perpetrators will be tracked down and prosecuted.”
Hard-right Dutch leader Geert Wilders, whose party is a member of the Netherlands’ government, strongly denounced the attacks.
“Looks like a Jew hunt in the streets of Amsterdam,” he said, suggesting the assailants were migrants. “Ashamed that this can happen in the Netherlands.” He, too, called the attack a “pogrom in the streets of Amsterdam” and lamented that the Netherlands had become the “Gaza of Europe.”
The mayor of Amsterdam, Femke Halsema, said the violence represented an “explosion” of antisemitism that has “not been seen in a long time.”
She described “hit and run” attacks on Maccabi supporters, with “hooligans on scooters” seeking out Israeli fans.
“Men on scooters crisscrossed the city looking for Israeli football fans. It was a hit-and-run. I can easily understand that this brings back memories of pogroms,” Halsema said.
She added: “Our city has been deeply damaged. Jewish culture has been deeply threatened. This is an outburst of anti-Semitism that I hope to never see again.”
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock expressed her disgust at the scenes from Amsterdam, writing on X: “The images out of Amsterdam are awful and deeply shameful. The outbreak of such violence against Jews breaks all boundaries. There is no justification for this.”
Baerbock stressed that Jews must be able to live in safety across Europe, underscoring the urgent need for stronger protections for Jewish communities.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on X that “the violence against Israeli citizens in Amsterdam recalls history’s darkest hours. I strongly condemn it and express my sympathy for the injured.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also condemned the attacks, calling them “vile” and “unacceptable.”
Von der Leyen said she had discussed the matter with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof and posted on social media: “Antisemitism has absolutely no place in Europe. And we are determined to fight all forms of hatred.”
The United Nations also expressed deep concern over the incident, and UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Jeremy Laurence said the organization was “deeply troubled” by the attack.
Laurence reiterated that “nobody, nobody should be subjected to discrimination or violence on the basis of their national, religious, ethnic or other origin.” He confirmed that the Dutch authorities had launched an investigation into the incident.
Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, the US envoy to counter antisemitism, said she was “horrified” by the attacks “which are terribly reminiscent of a classic pogrom.”
“I am also deeply disturbed by how long the reported attacks lasted and call on the government to conduct a thorough investigation into security force intervention and on how these despicable attacks transpired,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Dutch Organization for Central Jewish Consultation (CJO) called for immediate, tough measures to prevent further violence. In a statement, the CJO urged Dutch authorities to take swift action, stating: “The terrible scenes we witnessed last night show that there is no time to wait before taking tough measures.”
The group emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety of Jews in the Netherlands and across Europe.
Amsterdam police said 62 people were arrested after authorities said antisemitic rioters attacked Israeli supporters following the soccer match. The police said that they had started a major investigation into multiple violent incidents.
Some video footage on social media showed Israelis chanting against Arabs and Palestinians in the city, apparently prior to the riots, pointing to high tensions and unrest even before the nighttime attacks. Some Israeli fans said they were attacked in the city on Wednesday evening, a full day before the match.
