Nov. 8: Biden says antisemitic attacks in Amsterdam ‘echo dark moments in history’

The Pentagon issues its readout on the already-reported call between Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and new Defense Minister Israel Katz earlier today.

“Secretary Austin reaffirmed the United States’ ironclad commitment to Israel’s security and support for its right to defend itself,” a Pentagon readout of the call says.

10:34 pm

Special counsel hits pause on Trump election interference case

By AFP

Republican presidential nominee and former US president Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at Madison Square Garden, in New York, October 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

A federal judge on has granted a request by Special Counsel Jack Smith to pause the case against Donald Trump for conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

In a filing with District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who presides over the case, Smith notes that Trump won the White House race this week and will be inaugurated as president on January 20, 2025.

He asks Chutkan to vacate the filing deadlines in the case “to afford the government time to assess this unprecedented circumstance and determine the appropriate course going forward consistent with Department of Justice policy.”

Chutkan grants Smith’s request without comment.

The Justice Department has a long-standing policy of not prosecuting a sitting president.

Smith says he would file a status report with the court by December 2.

Trump is accused of conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding — the session of Congress called to certify Joe Biden’s win, which was violently attacked on January 6, 2021, by a mob of the former president’s supporters.

Trump is also accused of seeking to disenfranchise US voters with his false claims that he won the 2020 election.

10:23 pm

IDF urges evacuations within Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut’s Dahiyeh ahead of airstrikes

The IDF’s Arabic spokesperson calls on Lebanese civilians in several areas within the Hezbollah stronghold known as the Dahiyeh in Beirut to evacuate ahead of Israeli airstrikes.

#عاجل إلى جميع السكان المتواجدين في منطقة الضاحية الجنوبية وتحديدًا في المباني المحددة في الخرائط المرفقة والمباني المجاورة لها في المناطق التالية:
????حارة حريك
????برج البراجنة

⭕️أنتم تتواجدون بالقرب من منشآت ومصالح تابعة لحزب الله حيث سيعمل ضدها جيش الدفاع بقوة على المدى… pic.twitter.com/mtW5ctpDgN

— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) November 8, 2024

10:21 pm

Security official indicates a lack of coordination between Mossad, NSC on threats to Israelis in lead-up to Amsterdam attacks

An Israeli security official briefing local reporters on condition of anonymity says Israeli intelligence identified a “spontaneous” call for a pro-Palestinian demonstration in the lead-up to last night when hundreds of visiting Israeli soccer fans came under attack.

Separately, the National Security Council received an alert about a former Border Police officer traveling in Amsterdam attacked by pro-Palestinians who took his passport and posted a picture of it on social media, the official says.

Accordingly, the NSC reached out to the former border cop, warning him about the potential risk to his wellbeing.

Subsequently, the Mossad sent a message to Dutch authorities requesting that they bolster security in the vicinity of the stadium where the Maccabi Tel Aviv match was taking place. However, the NSC was not briefed on this step, the official says.

“The flare-up of violent events happened quickly and spontaneously,” the official continues, stressing that it was not orchestrated by Iran or its proxies, but rather by local Islamic elements in The Netherlands.

10:02 pm

UK foreign minister says ‘horrified’ at Amsterdam attacks

By AFP

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy says he is “horrified” by violence against supporters of football club Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam, calling them “antisemitic attacks on Israeli citizens.”

“My thoughts are with those injured, their families, and everyone affected,” he writes on social media. “I utterly condemn these abhorrent acts of violence and stand with Israeli and Jewish people across the world.”

9:37 pm

Blinken discusses Gaza, Lebanon conflicts with Saudi and Emirati counterparts

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held phone calls earlier today with his Saudi and Emirati counterparts to discuss efforts to end the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, the State Department says.

Readouts on both calls regurgitate administration talking points on both conflicts.

9:19 pm

Israeli authorities foresaw danger of Amsterdam attacks, failed to warn soccer club, fans – report

Israeli authorities recognized ahead of the widespread attacks by local Arab and Muslim gangs on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans in Amsterdam last night that organized violence was likely, with the Diaspora Affairs Ministry drawing up a warning document on Wednesday that highlighted the “very high risk” of such attacks, Channel 12 news reports.

Part of a Diaspora Affairs Ministry document warning of a “very high risk” of violence ahead of the attacks on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans in Amsterdam, as shown on Channel 12 news on November 8, 2024 (Screenshot via Channel 12)

It says the warning was based on “indications” in social media monitored by the ministry, including overt online coordination of plans for violent demonstrations. The ministry document shown by Channel 12 includes a screenshot from an online post by a Dutch Palestinian group PGNL headed “No Zionists in UEFA/FIFA.”

The ministry’s warning noted that protesters were being told not to carry Palestinian flags or other signs of Palestinian affiliation, and said the organizers were presenting the planned violent protests as constituting “a direct confrontation with Israeli security forces and the Mossad.”

The report says the ministry drew up its warning document in the light of what it saw as “the open encouragement of violence by the organizers of the demonstrations,” and the fact that there would be many children and identifiable Israelis in Amsterdam for the Maccabi Tel Aviv-Ajax soccer match.

The TV report says the Diaspora Affairs Ministry’s warning was shared with the Foreign Ministry and “a discussion was held.” But neither of the ministries, nor the National Security Council, issued warnings or guidelines to Maccabi or to the fans, some 3,000 of whom are said to have traveled to the match.

???? Key Findings from NCRI’s Amsterdam Pogrom Brief: On Nov 6-7, tensions between Maccabi TA fans and pro-Palestine activists escalated, leading to mob violence in Amsterdam. Despite advance warnings, local authorities did not intervene.

PGNL, led by organizers including a… pic.twitter.com/piOg4NBQwU

— Network Contagion Research Institute (@ncri_io) November 8, 2024

Furthermore, says Channel 12, the Mossad told its Dutch counterparts and Dutch police of concerns about violence and urged them to reinforce security at the stadium, hotels and the train station, but this “did not really happen,” the TV report says.

The head of the Shin Bet, Ronen Bar, the report also says, is now in touch with his Dutch counterpart as regards the ongoing investigation of suspected assailants who are in Dutch police custody, and ongoing security issues.

It also says, without sourcing, that there are “high alerts” at Israeli and Jewish facilities in Europe, and concerns about security at several forthcoming sporting events involving Israeli teams in the coming days.

It notes that Sports Minister Miki Zohar has recommended that Israeli fans not travel to matches in Europe, but stresses that the National Security Council, which issues such warnings, has not issued any such recommendation and has no intention at present of changing the current travel guidance warnings.

As things stand, Holland is on the NSC list of countries where a “Level 2” designation applies, indicating a “potential threat” and the need to take “precautionary measures.”

8:59 pm

In call with PA’s Abbas, Trump says he ‘will work to stop the war’

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas listens while US President Donald Trump makes a statement for the press before a meeting at the Palace Hotel during the 72nd United Nations General Assembly on September 20, 2017, in New York. (AFP/Brendan Smialowski)

US President-elect Donald Trump held a phone call earlier today with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, the latter’s office says.

Abbas congratulated Trump on his election victory this week and wished him good luck as he prepares for his second term in the White House.

Abbas expressed his readiness “to work with President Trump to achieve a just and comprehensive peace based on international legitimacy,” the PA readout says.

Trump, in turn, told Abbas that he “will work to stop the war” and that he looks forward to working with the PA leader and all concerned parties to “promote peace in the Middle East.”

Bishara Bahbah, who was the national chair of Arab Americans for Trump, tells The Times of Israel he spoke with Abbas shortly after the call and the PA president characterized the conversation as “excellent.”

“They discussed the issue of peace and the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities,” Bahbah recalls Abbas having told him.

Bahbah insisted that Abbas is looking forward to working with Trump, despite a very rocky relationship during the US president-elect’s first term when the PA severed relations with the US after Washington recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 2017. The two had not spoken since.

“We’re in a different year now. We all graduate from positions that we have taken. There is a need for an immediate cessation to the hostilities and a return to the negotiating table for a lasting peace,” Bahbah says.

8:50 pm

J Street slams PM’s appointment of ‘extremist settler’ as next envoy to US

The left-wing J Street lobby blasts Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s appointment of “extremist settler” Yechiel Leiter as next Israeli ambassador to the US.

The dovish pro-Israel group says the appointment “is a blaring warning siren about the intentions of Netanyahu and his far-right allies. Like last time, Trump and Netanyahu will promote annexation above the peace and safety of Israelis and Palestinians.”

“As Ambassador, Dr. Leiter should ensure he engages with the profound concerns of the vast majority of Jewish Americans and Democratic Members of Congress who oppose annexation and want to see hostages returned and an end to the war in Gaza,” J Street adds.

8:40 pm

Biden: Antisemitic Amsterdam attacks on Israeli fans ‘echo dark moments in history’

President Joe Biden talks to the media before departing from the Brandenburg Airport in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

US President Joe Biden condemns last night’s “antisemitic attacks” on Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam, calling them “despicable and echo dark moments in history when Jews were persecuted.”

“We’ve been in touch with Israeli and Dutch officials and appreciate Dutch authorities’ commitment to holding the perpetrators accountable,” the president tweets. “We must relentlessly fight Antisemitism, wherever it emerges.”

8:33 pm

Report: PM’s top aides suspected of trying to blackmail top IDF officer to alter records from night before Oct. 7 attack

Channel 12 reveals details on the latest scandal to rock Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.

The network says Netanyahu’s most senior aides are suspected of having tried to blackmail a senior officer in the military secretariat by using sensitive footage it had obtained of him in order to coax him into modifying security records from the night between October 6 and 7, 2023.

Netanyahu’s office denies the allegations.

7:47 pm

‘Strong likelihood’ famine imminent in north Gaza, say food security experts

Palestinians fill containers with clean water in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip on November 3, 2024. (AFP)

There is a “strong likelihood that famine is imminent in areas” of the northern Gaza Strip, a committee of global food security experts warn, as Israel pursues a military offensive against Hamas.

“Immediate action, within days not weeks, is required from all actors who are directly taking part in the conflict, or have influence on its conduct, to avert and alleviate this catastrophic situation,” the independent Famine Review Committee (FRC) says in a rare alert.

The warning comes just days ahead of a US deadline for Israel to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza or face potential restrictions on US military aid.

7:46 pm

US charges Iranian man in plot to kill Donald Trump, Justice Dept. says

The United States has charged an Iranian man in connection with an alleged plot ordered by Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump, the Justice Department says.

In a statement, the department says that Shakeri had informed law enforcement “that he was tasked on October 7, 2024, with providing a plan to kill” Trump, the department says.

The department describes Shakeri as an IRGC asset residing in Tehran. It says he immigrated to the US as a child and was deported in or about 2008 following a robbery conviction.

The department says it had charged two other individuals in connection with their alleged involvement in a plot to kill a US citizen of Iranian origin in New York.

7:45 pm

Prominent Gaza Islamic scholar issues fatwa condemning Hamas’s Oct. 7 onslaught

A prominent Islamic scholar in Gaza has issued a fatwa condemning Hamas’s October 7 terror onslaught against Israel.

The six-page ruling by Salman al-Dayah, a former dean of the Sharia and Law Department at Gaza’s Islamic University, criticizes Hamas for “violating Islamic principles governing jihad.”

“If the pillars, causes, or conditions of jihad are not met, it must be avoided in order to avoid destroying people’s lives. This is something that is easy to guess for our country’s politicians, so the attack must have been avoided,” reads the Fatwa translated by BBC.

Dayah says the massive numbers of civilian casualties and widespread destruction in Gaza demonstrate that Hamas’s attack contradicted the teachings of Islam.

He argues that Hamas failed in “keeping its fighters away from the homes of defenseless [Palestinian] civilians and their shelters.”

He cites verses in the Quran that restrict Jihad that provokes an excessive response.

He stresses that Muslim leaders are obligated to ensure the safety of non-combatants. The majority of those killed on October 7 were civilians.

????BREAKING: Prof. Dr. Salman Al-Daya, Dean of the College of Sharia and Law at the Islamic University of Gaza and Gaza’s foremost religious authority, has issued a series of six statements condemning Hamas leaders' blatant disregard for Gazan lives—and has called on Hamas to step… pic.twitter.com/NIAF0OMVN5

— Ihab Hassan (@IhabHassane) November 7, 2024

6:55 pm

Buried for 14 hours after Israeli strike, Lebanese toddler makes recovery

By AFP

People search for victims at a destroyed building hit in an Israeli airstrike, in Ghaziyeh, southern Lebanon, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP/Mohammed Zaatari)

Rescuers did not expect to find two-year-old Ali Khalifeh alive after an Israeli strike on southern Lebanon killed his entire family and left him trapped under the rubble for 14 hours.

Amputated, bandaged and hooked to a respirator in a hospital bed that was way too big for him, “Ali is the sole survivor of his family,” says Hussein Khalifeh, his father’s uncle.

The toddler’s parents, sister and two grandmothers all perished in the strike on September 29, days after Israel intensified its attacks on Hezbollah terrorists.

The strike on Sarafand, some nine miles south of the coastal city of Sidon, flattened an apartment complex and killed 15 people, many of them relatives, according to residents.

“Rescue workers had almost lost hope of finding anyone alive under the rubble,” 45-year-old Khalifeh tells AFP from the hospital in Sidon where his two-year-old relative was being treated.

But then “Ali appeared among debris in the shovel of the bulldozer, after we all thought he had died,” he says.

“He emerged from the rubble, barely breathing, after 14 hours.”

6:51 pm

Dutch far-right leader condemns attacks on Israeli fans in call with Netanyahu

Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders expresses his “anger and shame” over assaults on Israeli soccer supporters in Amsterdam in a phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Wilders, who heads the largest party in the government, says on X that in his call with Netanyahu, “(I) told him of my anger and shame of what happened in Amsterdam.”

Earlier, Dutch news agency ANP reported Wilders was to meet Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar and parliamentary speaker Amir Ohana at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport this afternoon.

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof also had a call with Netanyahu earlier today. Schoof had been attending a summit of European Union leaders in Budapest when the events happened but he was due to leave the summit early and return to the Netherlands.

6:50 pm

Amsterdam bans demos after ‘antisemitic squads’ attack Israeli soccer fans

Amsterdam has banned demonstrations for three days after overnight attacks on Israeli soccer supporters by what the mayor called “antisemitic hit-and-run squads,” and Israel said it would fly many fans home.

Mayor Femke Halsema says Maccabi fans had been “attacked, abused and pelted with fireworks” around the city, and that riot police intervened to protect them and escort them to hotels. At least five people were treated in hospital.

Amsterdam banned demonstrations through the weekend and gave police emergency stop-and-search powers in response to unrest that exposed deep anger over the Gaza-Israel conflict.

Halsema says city police had been taken by surprise after security services failed to flag the match against Ajax Amsterdam, traditionally identified as a Jewish club, as high risk. “Antisemitic hit-and-run squads” had managed to evade a force of around 200 officers, she said.

Security has been tightened in the city, where a service was planned at a Jewish monument on Saturday. On Thursday, hundreds had gathered to remember Kristallnacht, the Nazi pogrom against Jews across Germany on November 9-10, 1938.

6:47 pm

‘Every night, I pray to God that I’ll die’: A conversation with a Palestinian about conditions in Gaza

Displaced families fleeing Israeli army operations in Jabalia in northern Gaza take the main Salah al-Din road towards Gaza City on October 23, 2024 amid the ongoing war in the Palestinian territory between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas group. (AFP)

The Maariv daily publishes a conversation one of its reporters had with an acquaintance in Gaza about daily life in the Strip during the war.

The man is from Gaza City, but was forced to flee his home due to the fighting and is now living in a tent in Khan Younis.

“You cannot turn over freely in your sleep, or even stand up. If you want to go to the bathroom, you might accidentally step on your son or daughter’s leg or even on his stomach.”

“When I sleep at night, I pray to God that I’ll die, and when I wake up in the morning, it hurts that I’m still alive.

“The tent is hot in the summer, and cold in the winter,” he says. “Everyone is anxiously waiting for the winter storms that will surely come. When it rains, the water seeps through the tent. I hope you don’t ever have to live in a tent.”

The Palestinian says schools have become shelters for the displaced and the few “temporary schools” that have begun operating don’t have desks, chairs or textbooks, so very few children are enrolled.

People search the rubble at the site of an Israeli strike in Beit Lahiya, in the northern Gaza Strip on October 30, 2024 (AFP)

People are afraid to leave their tents because there are constant bombings. “There are constant attacks, and we don’t know who the target is. To maintain our security, we reduce traffic.”

There’s not enough water or medicine and medicine for serious illnesses is non-existent, he says.

The Palestinian shares the high levels of inflation: a kilogram of sugar currently costs NIS 50 ($13) and a liter of oil is at least NIS 40 ($10.67) at a time when almost no one can work and afford such prices. The man was particularly frustrated about the lack of cigarettes in Gaza, which Israel has blocked to prevent Hamas price-gouging. “This is an abuse of us, not them… There are some who say we are ready for the war to continue for years, as long as they allow in cigarettes.”

There’s constant theft and fights between families, further harming the general mood throughout the enclave, the Gaza man says.

October saw the lowest amount of aid enter Gaza this year, according to Israeli and UN figures. Five hundred trucks entered Gaza every day on average before the war. Just over 1,000 trucks entered Gaza all of last month.

Even the little that does enter the Strip is heavily looted by thieves operating on behalf of crime families and Hamas.

“All the residents of Gaza need psychological treatment… The noise of the drones, which is very loud at night, is a major cause of anxiety, especially for women and children, not to mention the attacks themselves and all of the dead and wounded,” he says.

Palestinians displaced amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, walk in Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip on October 31, 2024. (AFP)

Parents have been forced to send their children to beg in the streets for money, and they’re in constant fear for their well-being while they’re gone, he continues.

Asked what he thinks of Hamas’s October 7 onslaught, the man says that the majority of Palestinians in Gaza consider it to have been a serious crime and hold Hamas fully responsible for the “moral and political bankruptcy.”

“On the other hand, Gazans don’t like what Israel is doing — the attacks and the killing,” he continues, explaining that Palestinians want Israel to end Hamas’s control of Gaza but not in such a destructive way.

He adds that the majority of Gazans want to leave the Strip and would do so if the crossings were open. “We don’t want to stay in the Strip if Hamas remains in power.”

As for his message to the Israeli public, the Palestinian says he wants Israelis to know that not all Gazans are Hamas.

“Just as not all Israelis are religious Zionists. You must understand that in the Gaza Strip, there are many people who want peace and to live beside Israeli people, especially after the crime committed by Hamas on October 7,” he says.

The conversation was cut short because the Palestinian’s phone battery died and the electricity in his tent to recharge it was limited.

6:38 pm

UNIFIL claims Israel’s ‘deliberate’ destruction of its property breaches int’l law

The United Nations’ observer force in southern Lebanon claims that the Israeli military’s “deliberate and direct destruction” of its property was a “flagrant violation” of international law.

It says that Israeli military excavators and one bulldozer had destroyed part of a fence and concrete structure at a UN peacekeeping position in southern Lebanon on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Lebanon’s health ministry says Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed at least 3,117 people, and wounded 13,888 others since October 2023.

The figures do not differentiate between civilians and combatants from Hezbollah, which began firing rockets at Israel on October 8, 2023.

5:59 pm

PA foreign ministry condemns anti-Arab chants from Maccabi fans, mum on their assault

The Palestinian Authority’s foreign ministry issues a statement condemning the anti-Arab chants and “hostile actions” of Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer fans last night in Amsterdam, making no mention of the violent attacks on them by pro-Palestinian mobs.

The PA statement says the Maccabi fans’ actions “included the desecration and removal of the Palestinian flag from symbolic sites that signify solidarity with Palestinian rights and resistance against the ongoing occupation and systematic violence in Gaza.”

5:26 pm

Dutch far-right leader Wilders to meet with visiting Sa’ar, Ohana to discuss attack on Maccabi fans

Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders will meet new Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport later today following attacks on Israeli soccer supporters in the city, Dutch news agency ANP reports.

Sa’ar and Ohana decided to fly to Amsterdam after overnight attacks on Israeli soccer supporters by what its mayor called “antisemitic hit-and-run squads”.

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof had been attending a summit of European Union leaders in Budapest when the events happened, but told reporters that he would leave the summit early this afternoon to return to the Netherlands.

It was not yet clear if Sa’ar will also meet with Schoof.

5:07 pm

Police began collecting evidence, testimony from victims of Amsterdam attack upon their return

Israel Police says officers are on site at Ben Gurion Airport to gather identification details, forensic evidence and testimony from Maccabi Tel Aviv fans returning from Amsterdam after being violently attacked by pro-Palestinian mobs.

Israel Police are working together with police in Netherlands to prosecute those behind last night’s attacks.

5:01 pm

Man moderately injured after falling from ladder during rocket sirens in Galilee

The Magen David Adom emergency service say a man in his 40s was moderately injured after he fell from a ladder three meters high after rocket sirens were triggered in the lower Galilee.

MDA medics treated the man before evacuating him to Haifa’s Rambam Hospital.

4:46 pm

Settlers filmed breaking into Palestinian home, destroying property

Settlers vandalize a home in the Palestinian village of Surif in footage published by the Yesh Din rights group on November 8, 2024. (Screen capture/X)

The Yesh Din rights group publishes home security camera footage showing armed settlers breaking into a Palestinian home in the southern West Bank village of Surif and vandalizing property.

Israel has come under intense criticism for failing to crack down on such attacks, with arrests of perpetrators extremely rare. In response, some Western countries began imposing sanctions against settler extremists earlier this year.

Last week, armed settlers invaded the town of Surif, broke into front yards, vandalized property and uprooted olive trees. Video: Abdallah Ghnimat pic.twitter.com/EPXLGMdDVl

— Yesh Din English (@Yesh_Din) November 8, 2024

4:38 pm

In first call with Austin, Katz thanks US for wartime support, invites him to Israel

For the first time since entering the role, Defense Minister Israel Katz spoke with his American counterpart, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin a short while ago, his office says.

Katz thanked Austin for “the US’s support of Israel from the first day of the war, for the commitment to return all the hostages, and to preserve the strategic ties between the countries in the face of threats from Iran and its proxies,” according to a readout from his office.

The minister thanked Austin for “condemning the difficult events in Amsterdam and for his offer to help if necessary.”

Katz also invited Austin to visit Israel, the ministry adds.

4:37 pm

IDF says it shot down several drones that entered airspace from Lebanon

The IDF says it shot down several drones that entered Israeli airspace from Lebanon an hour ago.

The drones set off sirens in the Upper and Western Galilee.

Separately, a barrage of 30 rockets was fired from Lebanon a short while ago. The IDF says that most of the projectiles struck open areas, and one rocket struck an urban area.

There are no immediate reports of injuries.

Hezbollah has fired over 50 rockets at Israel today, according to an IDF tally.

4:37 pm

Hezbollah rocket causes heavy damage to home in northern Arab village

A Hezbollah rocket caused heavy damage to a home in the northern Arab town of Kafr Yasif a short while ago.

There are no injuries, according to medics.

Five rockets were launched from Lebanon in the attack, four of which were intercepted by air defenses, according to the IDF.

A Hezbollah rocket caused heavy damage to a home in the northern Arab town of Kafr Yasif a short while ago.

There are no injuries, according to medics.

Five rockets were launched from Lebanon in the attack, four of which were intercepted by air defenses according to the IDF. pic.twitter.com/8DPlmuPbuz

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) November 8, 2024

4:36 pm

Netanyahu: 86th anniversary of Kristallnacht was ‘marked’ on streets of Amsterdam last night

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the 86th anniversary of Kristallnacht was marked on the streets of Amsterdam last night when hundreds of Israeli soccer fans were attacked by pro-Palestinian mobs.

Unlike during Kristallnacht, though, the Jewish people have a state of their own, Netanyahu says in a statement during his visit to the Foreign Ministry’s situation room where he was briefed on Israel’s response to last night’s attacks in Amsterdam.

The forces behind the attacks don’t just pose a risk to Jews but the entire free world, Netanyahu adds.

4:10 pm

Israel confirms plan to open new Gaza crossing for aid

This image released by COGAT on November 8, 2024, shows engineering work at the Kissufim Crossing with the Gaza Strip. (COGAT)

The Defense Ministry’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) confirms that Israel will be opening an additional crossing with the Gaza Strip for the delivery of humanitarian aid.

The Kissufim Crossing will open soon following the completion of engineering work carried out in the area in recent weeks.

“As part of the works, forces worked to build inspection and protection infrastructures in the area as well as to pave roads, in the territory of Israel and in the territory of the Gaza Strip, which allow the entry of aid to the south of the Gaza Strip while strengthening the protection of the [Gaza border] communities,” COGAT says in a statement.

Israel currently allows aid to enter the Gaza Strip via the Kerem Shalom crossing in the Strip’s south, Gate 96 in the center, and two crossings — Erez East and Erez West — in the north. Aid has also been delivered from the air by various nations.

This video released by COGAT on November 8, 2024, shows engineering work at the Kissufim Crossing with the Gaza Strip. (COGAT)

4:07 pm

National Security Council urges Israelis not to attend tonight’s Maccabi Tel Aviv game in Bologna

The National Security Council calls on Israelis to avoid attending Maccabi Tel Aviv’s game in Bologna, Italy after last night’s attack on fans in Amsterdam.

The NSC says online calls to harm Israelis and Jews continue, sparking fear of copycat attacks at tonight’s match in Bologna.

In addition to avoiding tonight’s game, the NSC says Israelis should avoid wearing identifying Jewish symbols as much as possible.

Israelis abroad are also encouraged to download the IDF’s Home Front Command app that provides updates as needed.

3:49 pm

IDF says it’s tracking several targets that triggered drone infiltration sirens in Galilee

Sirens warning of a drone infiltration sound in the Western and Upper Galilee, as the IDF says it is tracking several targets that entered Israeli airspace from Lebanon.

“The incident is still ongoing,” the IDF says.

Earlier today, the IDF said it shot down two drones launched from Lebanon.

3:48 pm

IDF: Five rockets launched at northern Israel from Lebanon; one impacts, no injuries

The IDF says five rockets were launched from Lebanon a short while ago, setting off sirens in central and northern Israel.

Most of the rockets were intercepted and one impact was identified in the Western Galilee, according to the military.

There are no immediate reports of injuries in the attack.

3:23 pm

Sirens sound in central, northern Israel after long-range rockets fired from Lebanon

Sirens are sounding in central Israel following long-range rocket fire from Lebanon.

Alerts are active in several towns near Tel Aviv.

Sirens also sound in northern Israel amid the attack.

3:22 pm

Houthis claim to target Nevatim Airbase with ballistic missile, IDF says it was intercepted

The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen take responsibility for this morning’s ballistic missile attack on Israel.

In a statement, the Houthis say they targeted the Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel.

According to the IDF, the missile was successfully intercepted by air defenses.

3:07 pm

PM announces Yechiel Leiter to serve as Israel’s next ambassador to Washington

Yechiel Leiter, whom Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has tapped to serve as Israel's next ambassador to the US, is applauded during Netanyahu's speech to the US Congress, after the prime minister tells the story of Leiter's son, who fell in battle in the Gaza Strip; July 24, 2024. (Screen capture via YouTube, used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu officially announces that Yechiel Leiter will be Israel’s next ambassador to the United States.

The US-born Leiter, who holds a PhD from Haifa University, has served as deputy director-general of the Education Ministry, chief of staff of then-finance minister Netanyahu and acting chairman of the Ports Authority.

“Yechiel Leiter is a highly talented diplomat, an eloquent speaker, and has a deep understanding of American culture and politics,” says Netanyahu in a statement. “I am convinced that Yechiel will represent Israel in the best possible way, and I wish him success in his role.”

3:01 pm

Macron: Amsterdam attacks reminiscent of ‘history’s darkest hours’

By AFP and ToI Staff

French President Emmanuel Macron “strongly” condemns attacks on Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam following a match between hosts Ajax and Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv.

“The violence against Israeli citizens in Amsterdam recalls history’s darkest hours. I strongly condemn it and express my sympathy for the injured. France will relentlessly continue to fight against heinous antisemitism,” Macron says on X.

2:34 pm

Foreign Ministry says it has made contact with all Israelis in Amsterdam

In this image taken from video, police escort Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters to the metro in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Thursday, November 7, 2024. (AP Photo InterVision)

All Israelis in Amsterdam have now been reached, says the Foreign Ministry.

The ministry’s situation room and the local Israeli embassy have been working to make contact with all Israelis known to be visiting the city.

2:20 pm

Katz holds first security assessment with IDF chief, defense officials

Defense Minister Israel Katz speaks with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi during his first security assessment since taking over the helm of the defense ministry, October 8, 2024. (Shira Keinan/Defense Ministry)

Defense Minister Israel Katz held a first assessment with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi and other military and defense officials, his office says.

Katz formally took over the role of defense minister Friday morning.

2:20 pm

Amsterdam mayor pans ‘antisemitic criminals’ who attacked Israeli soccer fans

In this image taken from video, police frisk anti-Israel protesters near the Ajax stadium in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Thursday, November 7, 2024. (AP Photo InterVision)

Amsterdam police say ten people remain in custody after Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer fans were attacked by what Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema described as “antisemitic hit-and-run squads.”

“This is a very dark moment for the city, for which I am deeply ashamed,” Halsema says at a news conference.

Amsterdam’s Mayor Femke Halsema, center, acting Amsterdam police chief Peter Holla, left, and head of the Amsterdam public prosecutor’s office René de Beukelaer hold a news conference after Israeli fans were attacked overnight after a soccer match, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Nov, 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Mike Corder)

“Antisemitic criminals attacked and assaulted visitors to our city, in hit-and-run actions,” Halsema says, adding perpetrators had managed to escape a large police presence.

2:07 pm

Foreign Ministry yet to make contact with three Israelis in Amsterdam

There are currently three Israelis in Amsterdam who have yet to be contacted, according to the latest Foreign Ministry update.

According to local police and the Amsterdam mayor’s office, all injured Israelis have been released from the hospital.

2:07 pm

Netanyahu taps his former chief of staff Yechiel Leiter as new US ambassador — report

According to Channel 14, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has chosen US-born academic Yechiel Leiter as the next ambassador to Washington.

Leiter was chief of staff to Netanyahu when he was finance minister during Ariel Sharon’s premiership.

His son Maj. (res.) Moshe Yedidyah Leiter, 39, was killed in battle in the northern Gaza Strip on November 10 last year.

Speaking to Israel Hayom, Leiter said that Netanyahu had called him to pay his respects after learning about his son’s death.

“When the prime minister called me this evening to console me, I told him only one thing: ‘Bibi, my son’s blood was not shed in vain. Finish this job. Don’t let any pressure in the world stop you. Because the only consolation of this loss is banishing evil,'” he recounted.

2:02 pm

IDF troops locate Hezbollah training site 200 meters from UNIFIL base in southern Lebanon

This image released by the IDF on November 8, 2024, shows a Hezbollah training facility in southern Lebanon, located some 200 meters from a UNIFIL base. (Israel Defense Forces)

IDF troops operating in southern Lebanon located a Hezbollah training facility, which was positioned some 200 meters from a UNIFIL base.

Reservists with the Oded Brigade raided the Hezbollah site, which the IDF says was used by the terror group for training, studying combat theory and storing weapons.

The military says the troops found Hezbollah documents and textbooks, maps of Israel, guides of IDF vehicles, as well as tunnel shafts and weapons at the site.

In the area of the facility, the IDF says the soldiers also found rocket launchers that were primed for attacks on Israel.

The weapons were confiscated and the facility was demolished, the IDF adds.

This video released by the IDF on November 8, 2024, shows weapons and a tunnel shaft found at a Hezbollah training facility in southern Lebanon. (Israel Defense Forces)

1:56 pm

WSJ: Trump to dramatically increase sanctions against Iran upon return to office

US President-elect Donald Trump plans to dramatically increase sanctions on Iran upon his return to the White House, sources familiar with his plans tells The Wall Street Journal.

According to the report, Trump will focus primarily on Iran’s oil industry, aiming to build on the sanctions he enacted between 2016-2020, and will make a concerted push to isolate Tehran “both diplomatically and financially.”

The source says that the severity of the sanctions will likely be impacted by the assessment that Iran is seeking revenge against Trump for the assassination of former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps chief Qasem Soleimani in 2020.

1:42 pm

Austrian Jewish students block far-right parliament speaker from laying Kristallnacht wreath

MP of Austria's Freedom Party Walter Rosenkranz stands on the podium to deliver a speech after his election as new parliament president in the Austrian Parliament in Vienna on October 24, 2024. (Alex Halada/AFP)

Jewish students in Vienna prevent the first far-right speaker of Austria’s lower house of parliament from laying a wreath in remembrance of the victims of Kristallnacht, arguing he was abusing their memory.

After the eurosceptic, Russia-friendly Freedom Party (FPO) won the most seats in a parliamentary election for the first time in its history in September, the new lower house elected FPO nominee Walter Rosenkranz as its speaker two weeks ago.

Those who oppose him in parliament and the leader of the body formally representing Austria’s Jews say he is not a suitable candidate because of his continued membership of a far-right fraternity and his past praise for a Nazi prosecutor, which Rosenkranz has since said was a mistake.

Protesters including members of the Austrian Union of Jewish Students hold hands to form a cordon around a Holocaust memorial in the historic center of Vienna where Rosenkranz had been due to lay a wreath in his official capacity. They hold a banner that read: “The word of those who honor Nazis is worthless.”

In a tense standoff, a protester tells Rosenkranz: “We do not want you to spit in our ancestors’ faces,” to which Rosenkranz replies: “You are insulting me” as his police escort looks on.

After initially asking the protesters to make way, Rosenkranz says: “I will yield to your violence. You are forcibly preventing me from approaching.”

Since the Jewish Religious Community (IKG), the body that formally represents Austria’s Jews, has long refused to hold meetings with FPO officials, Rosenkranz did not attend a separate Kristallnacht ceremony at a different Holocaust memorial at around the same time.

Kristallnacht, or The Night of Broken Glass, was a coordinated wave of intense violence against Jews across the Nazi Third Reich. Vienna was a major center of that violence, with dozens of synagogues and synagogues destroyed and thousands of Jewish shops looted.

It began on November 9, 1938, roughly eight months after Nazi Germany annexed Austria.

The FPO was founded in the 1950s under a leader who had been a senior SS officer and Nazi lawmaker.

1:07 pm

Foreign Ministry says 10 Israelis in Amsterdam yet to make contact, phones may have been stolen

The Foreign Ministry says that it has a list of some 10 Israelis who have yet to make contact following the attacks in Amsterdam last night.

It stresses that the people on the list are not considered “missing,” but rather that their phones may have been stolen or broken during the assault.

It says that it is continuing efforts to contact them, and that the list is not complete and may still change.

12:57 pm

IDF says air defenses shot down two drones launched from Lebanon today

Two drones launched from Lebanon were shot down by the Israeli Air Force today, the IDF says.

The first attack took place earlier this morning, while the second incident took place an hour ago.

Separately, the IDF says one rocket was fired at the Haifa Bay area an hour ago, setting off sirens in Acre and nearby towns. The rocket struck an open area, according to the military.

בפעם השניה תוך שעות ספורות: חיל-האוויר יירט מספר מטרות אוויריות חשודות טרם חצייתן לשטח ישראל

מוקדם יותר היום, חיל-האוויר יירט מטרה אווירית חשודה שעשתה את דרכה לשטח הארץ מכיוון לבנון.

בהמשך להתרעות שהופעלו בשעות 11:47-11:48 במרחב הגליל המערבי והמפרץ, זוהה שיגור אחד שחצה מלבנון… pic.twitter.com/RubMXdTkjF

— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) November 8, 2024

12:54 pm

King of the Netherlands: ‘We failed the Jewish community during World War II, and last night we failed again’

President Isaac Herzog spoke with King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands a short while ago, his office says in a readout of the call.

Herzog told the King that the events in Amsterdam, where Israeli soccer fans were attacked by an anti-Israel mob, was reminiscent of “dark and grim times for the Jewish people” and stressed that it must be “unequivocally condemned,” the President’s Office says.

He reiterated his expectation for the Dutch authorities to do everything within their power to ensure the safety of all Israelis and Jews in the Netherlands going forward.

The King expressed “deep horror and shock” over the attack, the statement says, and told Herzog: “We failed the Jewish community of the Netherlands during World War II, and last night we failed again.”

President Herzog speaks with King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands

• Israeli President demands decisive action against violence and antisemitism, and assistance in the immediate evacuation of Israelis.

• The King condemned the attack in the strongest terms, comparing it to…

— Office of the President of Israel (@IsraelPresident) November 8, 2024

12:44 pm

German foreign minister says scenes in Amsterdam are ‘deeply shameful’ for Europe

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock voices shock and disgust over scenes out of Amsterdam overnight.

“The images out of Amsterdam are awful and deeply shameful for us in Europe,” Baerbock writes in a post on X. “The outbreak of such violence against Jews breaks all boundaries. There is no justification for this.”

She stresses that Jews must be able to feel safe in Europe.

12:40 pm

UN says attack on Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam is ‘very troubling’

By AFP and ToI Staff

The United Nations says it is deeply troubled by the attack on Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam, which Dutch and Israeli officials have said was antisemitic in nature.

“We have seen these very troubling reports,” UN human rights office spokesman Jeremy Laurence tells a media briefing in Geneva, adding: “Nobody, nobody should be subjected to discrimination or violence on the basis of their national, religious, ethnic or other origin. We understand that the authorities have launched an investigation into this incident.”

12:28 pm

Israel Katz formally replaces Gallant as defense minister in modest handover ceremony

Incoming Defense Minister Israel Katz (L) embraces Yoav Gallant at a handover ceremony in the Defense Ministry after Gallant was fired from the post, November 8, 2024. (Ariel Hermoni/Defense Ministry)

Israel Katz formally becomes Israel’s defense minister, replacing Yoav Gallant who was fired, in a modest handover ceremony this morning.

The ceremony at the Defense Ministry was attended by the IDF’s General Staff Forum and the ministry’s staff.

Katz in a speech says that he is looking forward to working with the defense establishment and that he will be “the defender of the IDF… and I will harness all my abilities to allow the IDF to deal with the things it needs to deal with, with full force.”

“I am sure that we will achieve victory in this campaign whose goals are to curb Iranian aggression and negate its capabilities, to continue the dismantling of Hamas as a governing and military force, and to defeat Hezbollah,” he says.

Addressing Gallant, Katz says “We were friends and we will remain friends because we believe in the same things that will ensure the security and future of the State of Israel, the Jewish State. I promise you that the entire State of Israel will emerge from the campaign and from the pain to much higher places.”

Gallant, in his parting speech, says that he is leaving the role “with great pain over the loss, and for what has not yet been completed, the return of the hostages.”

“But also with a sense of achievement and significance, for what has been done here, under my responsibility in the last two years, establishing a new and better strategic reality for the State of Israel,” he says.

“This is not a complete farewell. I will continue, as I have done all my life, to work for the security of the State of Israel and for the people of Israel,” Gallant adds.

12:15 pm

EU’s von der Leyen ‘outraged’ by Amsterdam attacks, says no room for antisemitism in Europe

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemns the attacks on fans of Israeli soccer team Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam.

“Outraged by last night’s vile attacks targeting Israeli citizens in Amsterdam,” von der Leyen says in a post on X, adding that she has discussed the matter with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof.

“I strongly condemn these unacceptable acts. Antisemitism has absolutely no place in Europe. And we are determined to fight all forms of hatred.”

11:54 am

France says Nations’ League game against Israel next week will go ahead as planned

French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau says that a Nations’ League game against Israel next week will go ahead as planned despite the violent attack on Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam overnight.

“France is not backing down because that would amount to giving up in the face of threats of violence and antisemitism,” Retailleau says in a post on X.

Paris police are planning to deploy over 2,000 officers around the Stade de France to secure the game on Thursday, November 14, BFM TV reports. Authorities are also expected to cordon off an unusually large security perimeter.

The interior ministry and Paris police department do not immediately reply to Reuters’ requests for details of the exact plans.

Retailleau is meeting with the heads of the French soccer federation and top club PSG on Friday morning following the unfurling of a giant “Free Palestine” banner at a Champions League match this week.

Times of Israel Staff contributed to this report.

11:28 am

Amsterdam police say five hospitalized, 62 arrested after anti-Israel riots

By AP and ToI Staff

Amsterdam police say that five people were hospitalized and 62 arrested after anti-Israel rioters carried out an apparently organized, widespread attack against fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam.

The attacks have been widely condemned by Israeli and Dutch politicians as antisemitic.

The police say in a post on X that they have started a major investigation into multiple violent incidents. The post does not provide further details about those injured or detained in Thursday night’s violence.

Earlier, a statement issued by the Dutch capital’s municipality, police and prosecution office said that the night following the Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv “was very turbulent with several incidents of violence aimed at Maccabi supporters.”

11:22 am

Dutch Jewish group says tough measures needed after attack on Israeli soccer fans

The Dutch Organization for Central Jewish Consultation issues an urgent call for immediate, tough measures following attacks on Israeli soccer fans after an Ajax-Maccabi Tel Aviv football match in Amsterdam.

“The terrible scenes we witnessed last night show that there is no time to wait before taking tough measures”, the CJO says in a statement.

11:09 am

IDF bars soldiers from flying to the Netherlands until further notice

Following the incidents in Amsterdam last night, the IDF says it is barring soldiers from flying to the Netherlands until further notice.

“Exceptional requests will be examined individually,” the military adds.

10:57 am

Khamenei adviser warns Iran against launching ‘instinctive’ attack on Israel

By AFP and ToI Staff

An adviser to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warns against launching an “instinctive” response to Israeli retaliatory air strikes on Iranian military facilities last month.

“Israel aims to bring the conflict to Iran. We must act wisely to avoid its trap and not react instinctively,” the adviser, Ali Larijani, tells state television.

After Israel hit back following the ballistic missile attack launched by Tehran on October 1, it warned against any counterattack, but the Islamic Republic vowed to respond.

“Our actions and reactions are strategically defined, so we must avoid instinctive or emotional responses and remain entirely rational,” Larijani adds.

10:53 am

Israeli government walks back plan to send IDF rescue mission to the Netherlands

The Israeli government has walked back on sending an IDF rescue mission to the Netherlands, after Israeli soccer fans came under an apparently organized, widespread attack by anti-Israel rioters in Amsterdam.

The Prime Minister’s Office in a statement says that following an assessment and at the recommendation of officials, “it was decided that it is not necessary to send a professional rescue mission to the Netherlands.”

The military in a statement also confirms, saying that “in accordance with the directive of the political echelon, no IDF delegation will go to Amsterdam.”

Instead, efforts will focus on civilian flights to bring Israelis back home, the PMO adds.

10:39 am

Foreign Minister Sa’ar heading to Amsterdam for meetings with Dutch counterparts, Jewish community

New Hope chair Gideon Sa'ar seen during a vote at the plenum hall of the Knesset in Jerusalem on September 29, 2024. (Yonatan Sindel/ Flash90)

Newly appointed Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar will depart for an official visit to the Netherlands in the coming hours, following an attack on Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam, the Foreign Ministry says.

During the visit, Sa’ar will meet with his Dutch counterpart Caspar Veldkamp and other senior government officials.

He will stress the urgent need to fight against antisemitism during meetings with Dutch officials, the statement says, adding that “the new antisemitism targets Israel and Israel’s right to exist and defend itself.”

He will also meet with Israelis in Amsterdam and members of the Dutch Jewish community.

10:30 am

IDF reserve soldier dies of wounds sustained in southern Lebanon two weeks ago

Master Sgt. (res.) Guy Shabtay, of the Alon Brigade's 8207th Battalion. (Israel Defense Forces)

An IDF reserve soldier seriously wounded during fighting in southern Lebanon two weeks ago succumbed to his wounds, the military announces.

The slain soldier is named as Master Sgt. (res.) Guy Shabtay, 39, of the Alon Brigade’s 8207th Battalion, from Jerusalem.

Shabtay was wounded in an exchange of fire with Hezbollah operatives in a village in southern Lebanon on October 26, in an incident in which five other reservists were killed and over a dozen were injured.

10:14 am

Video footage shows Israeli soccer fans taunting Arabs in Amsterdam with anti-Palestinian chants

Video footage on social media shows Israeli soccer fans chanting against Arabs and Palestinians in Amsterdam, pointing to high tensions and unrest prior to the nighttime attacks.

Pro-Palestinan activists have claimed that the Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were the first to engage in harassment and violence, saying they assaulted Arabs in the city and vandalized Palestinian flags.

Israeli fans could be heard chanting “Let the IDF win to fuck the Arabs” in video footage circulating on social media, although it was not immediately clear when the footage had been captured.

10:02 am

Amsterdam mayor says full extent of violence against Israeli soccer fans not yet clear

Amsterdam’s mayor Femke Halsema says her services are still in the process of ascertaining the full extent of the violence that targeted Israeli soccer fans surrounding an Ajax – Maccabi Tel Aviv Europe League game.

“Despite the massive police deployment in the city, Israeli supporters were injured,” Halsema says in an Instagram post, adding that the exact number of victims and people arrested was not yet clear.

9:53 am

Chief rabbis grant El Al permission to operate free rescue flights from Amsterdam to Tel Aviv over Shabbat

An El Al plane arrives from France at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv, August 1, 2024. (Tomer Neuberg / Flash90)

Israeli airline El Al announces that it will operate rescue flights from the Netherlands to Israel on Friday evening and Shabbat following the overnight attacks on Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam.

The airline does not usually operate on Saturdays, in line with traditional Jewish religious law, but received permission to do so from Israel’s newly appointed Chief Rabbis, Rabbi David Yosef and Rabbi Kalman Bar.

The flights will be free of charge for all passengers who had booked a return ticket from Amsterdam to Israel with El Al and all other airlines, the flag carrier says.

The first flight will depart from Amsterdam at 2 p.m. local time and arrive back in Israel on Friday evening, El Al says. It adds that two regularly scheduled flights will also depart Amsterdam for Tel Aviv later today, each carrying around 350 passengers.

9:39 am

Interior Minister says Israelis who lost passports in Amsterdam attack can board flights with photocopied documents

Interior Minister Moshe Arbel has instructed the Population and Immigration Authority to allow Israelis in Amsterdam who have lost their passports to board flights using other travel documents or photocopies of their passports, Hebrew media reports.

He also instructed the agency to continue working over Shabbat as Israel works to locate three Israelis who remain unaccounted for following the overnight attacks against Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer fans.

9:19 am

Sa’ar says Amsterdam attack must be ‘blaring alarm call’ for Europe

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar says that the “terrible barbaric and antisemitic” attack on Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam should be a “blaring alarm call for Europe and the world.”

He says that “Freedom loving countries” must not allow “unbridled hatred to roam the streets with impunity.”

“What begins with persecution and violence against Jews never ends with the Jews,” he says.

These terrible barbaric and antisemitic terror attacks are a blaring alarm call for Europe and the world.

Freedom loving countries, democracies, cannot allow unbridled hatred to roam the streets with impunity. As history has shown – what begins with persecution and violence…

— Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) November 8, 2024

9:17 am

Israel says local security forces deployed in Amsterdam, Israelis can safely head to the airport

Israel puts out updated instructions for Israelis in Amsterdam, saying that local security forces have been deployed, and it is safe to head to the airport.

At the same time, Israelis should avoid displaying Israeli and Jewish symbols on the streets. Israelis are advised to head back home as early as possible, but those staying should download the Home Front Command app for updates.

Israeli planes are expected to land in Amsterdam in the coming hours, with details about the flights to be published in subsequent updates.

8:50 am

Dutch PM vows perpetrators of ‘unacceptable, antisemitic’ attack in Amsterdam will be caught

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof says that he is horrified by the “unacceptable, antisemitic” attacks on Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam following a conversation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

He says that the “perpetrators will be tracked down and prosecuted” and that order has been restored in Amsterdam following the overnight violence.

8:44 am

IDF says some 20 rockets fired from Lebanon at northern Israel, no injuries reported

Around 10 rockets were fired from Lebanon at northern Israel a short while ago, the IDF says, after sirens sounded in Haifa, Acre and surrounding areas.

Earlier this morning, another 10 rockets were fired at the western and upper Galilee, according to the military.

Some of the rockets were intercepted by Israeli air defenses and others struck open areas, the IDF adds.

No injuries were reported as a result of the rocket fire.

Separately, after suspected drone infiltration sirens sounded in the Carmel region, the IDF says the incident is over, without elaborating further. No injuries are reported in the incident.

8:42 am

Far-right Australian man freed on bail after Nazi salute

By AFP

A far-right Australian man was freed on bail Friday after a Melbourne court sentenced him to one month in jail for performing an illegal Nazi salute.

Jacob Hersant, 25, is the first person in the state of Victoria to be charged with performing the gesture, days after it was outlawed in 2023.

He was convicted of saluting journalists and media cameras outside a court where he was facing an unrelated charge on October 27, 2023.

The offense now carries a 12-month prison sentence in Victoria and a fine of up to AUD $23,000 (USD $15,307).

On Friday, magistrate Brett Sonnet sentenced Hersant to one month behind bars and said a fine was unlikely to deter the prominent neo-Nazi from re-offending, the ABC reported.

But his lawyer sought to overturn the decision and, hours later, Hersant was freed on bail while the appeal takes place, the ABC reported.

Australia banned the Nazi salute this year along with displays or trade of Nazi symbols.

Intelligence officials have warned that growing numbers of Australians are being drawn towards neo-Nazi ideologies, as extremist groups step up efforts to recruit new members.

8:36 am

Herzog: Amsterdam attack is ‘warning sign’ for countries that ‘uphold the values of freedom’

President Isaac Herzog calls the attacks on Israelis in Amsterdam “a warning sign for any country that wishes to uphold the values of freedom.”

“We woke up this morning to shocking images and videos that since October 7th, we had hoped never to see again: an antisemitic pogrom currently taking place against Maccabi Tel Aviv fans and Israeli citizens in the heart of Amsterdam, Netherlands,” he writes on X.

“This is a serious incident, a warning sign for any country that wishes to uphold the values of freedom,” he continues.

He says he trusts that Dutch authorities “will act immediately and take all necessary measures to protect, locate, and rescue all Israelis and Jews under attack, and to eradicate the violence against Jewish and Israeli citizens by all required means.”

We see with horror this morning, the shocking images and videos that since October 7th, we had hoped never to see again: an antisemitic pogrom currently taking place against Maccabi Tel Aviv fans and Israeli citizens in the heart of Amsterdam, Netherlands.

This is a serious…

— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) November 8, 2024

8:35 am

Foreign Ministry: Three Israelis still unaccounted for in the Netherlands

There are still three Israelis unaccounted for in the Netherlands, says the Foreign Ministry.

Additional phone lines have been added at the Israeli embassy in the country and the Foreign Ministry situation room.

8:33 am

Netanyahu asks Dutch counterpart to boost security for Jewish community in the Netherlands

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to his Dutch counterpart Dick Schoof about the attack on Israelis in Amsterdam, says the Prime Minister’s Office.

Netanyahu stresses the importance of the Dutch government ensuring the safety of all Israelis in the country and tells Schoof that he treats the premeditated attack seriously. He also asks for increased security for the Jewish community in the Netherlands.

The premier thanks Schoof for his statements on the attack, which he called antisemitic.

Planes are on their way to the Netherlands to bring home Israelis, including those injured.

The PMO says that Netanyahu was in direct contact with the Foreign Ministry and his military secretary from the time that the incident began.

7:59 am

Far-right Dutch leader says Netherlands is ‘the Gaza of Europe’ after attack on Israeli soccer fans

Far-right Dutch leader Geert Wilders, whose party is a member of the Netherlands’ government, declares on X that the country has become “the Gaza of Europe” following a violent assault on Israelis visiting Amsterdam for a Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer match.

“A pogrom in the streets of Amsterdam,” Wilders writes. “Muslims with Palestinian flags hunting down Jews. I will NOT accept that. NEVER.”

He adds that the relevant authorities will be “held accountable for their failure to protect the Israeli citizens.”

A pogrom in the streets of #Amsterdam.

We have become the Gaza of Europe.

Muslims with Palestinian flags hunting down Jews.

I will NOT accept that. NEVER.

The authorities will be held accountable for their failure to protect the Israeli citizens.

Never again.

— Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) November 8, 2024

7:47 am

Rocket sirens activated in Haifa, Acre and surrounding areas

Rocket warning sirens are activated in communities across northern Israel, including in Haifa, Acre and surrounding areas.

7:45 am

IDF says Home Front Command to lead rescue mission to Amsterdam

The Israel Defense Forces says it is preparing to “immediately deploy a rescue mission” to Amsterdam, following violent attacks on Israeli soccer fans overnight.

The mission will include rescue and medical teams, the IDF says, and will be led by the Home Front Command.

7:42 am

Jared Kushner rules out joining Trump administration but may advise on Middle East policy — report

By Reuters and ToI Staff

White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, right, looks on during a meeting between US President Donald Trump, left, and leaders at the Gulf Cooperation Council Summit in Riyadh, May 21, 2017. (AP/Evan Vucci)

The Financial Times reports that Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President-elect Donald Trump, will not return to the White House.

Kushner could advise on Middle East policy, the report says, citing people familiar with the matter.

Kushner was a senior advisor to Trump in his first term and played a significant role in negotiating the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations, including the United Arab Emirates and Morocco.

7:20 am

Ben Gvir says Israeli authorities working with Dutch counterparts to investigate attack on Israeli soccer fans

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir says that he has been in “constant contact” with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and the Israel Police after fans of the Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer club were violently assaulted in the Dutch city by an apparent pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel mob.

Israeli authorities are working with their Dutch counterparts to “rescue the Israeli citizens and to investigate the severe lynching incident,” he says.

He adds that the assault is “a warning sign to all European countries against radical Muslim violence.”

“Those who turn a blind eye to Islamic terrorism in the Middle East will encounter it at home in Europe and in the West,” Ben Gvir says. “Today the victims were Israelis, tomorrow it could be Europeans.”

6:59 am

US antisemitism envoy: Attacks in Amsterdam ‘terribly reminiscent of classic pogrom’

The US envoy to counter antisemitism issues a statement denouncing the attacks on Israelis in Amsterdam, in the first comment on the violence from the Biden administration.

“Horrified by the attacks tonight in Amsterdam, which are terribly reminiscent of a classic pogrom,” says Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt. “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.”

“In terrible historical irony, this is happening two days before the grim anniversary of Reichspogromnacht in 1938, when Nazi-sanctioned and led pogroms against Jews erupted across the German Reich,” she adds, referring to Kristallnacht.

Horrified by the attacks tonight in Amsterdam, 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…

— Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt (@StateSEAS) November 8, 2024

6:55 am

Far-right Dutch leader denounces ‘Jew hunt in the streets of Amsterdam’

FILE - Anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders takes his seat at the high security court at Schiphol, near Amsterdam, Netherlands, September 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File)

Far-right Dutch leader Geert Wilders, whose party is a member of the Netherlands’ government, denounces the attacks on Israelis visiting Amsterdam for a Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer match as “totally unacceptable.”

“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,” he says, suggesting the assailants were migrants. “Ashamed that this can happen in The Netherlands.”

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. https://t.co/Ju54TO27Ks

— Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) November 8, 2024

6:47 am

Rocket warning alerts sound in numerous northern communities

Rocket warnings sirens are sounding in numerous communities in the western and upper Galilee, suggesting a heavy barrage from Lebanon.

6:32 am

IDF says it downed missile fired from Yemen, after sirens triggered around Dead Sea

The IDF says it downed a missile fired from Yemen that triggered warning sirens around the Dead Sea and other areas of southern Israel.

6:19 am

Rocket sirens sound around Dead Sea, Arava desert and parts of Negev

Rocket warning sirens sound in parts of the Dead Sea, Arava desert and Negev regions in southern Israel.

5:28 am

Foreign Ministry says 10 Israelis hurt in Amsterdam assaults, 2 unreachable

Citing information from Dutch authorities, the Foreign Ministry says 10 Israelis were hurt in the attacks in Amsterdam on Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters.

A statement from the ministry says the severity of the injuries are unclear.

The Foreign Ministry also says that two Israelis are currently out of touch and that it’s advising Israeli citizens not to leave their hotels.

The National Security Council issued a similar instruction, while calling on those who are out in public not to display any Israeli or Jewish symbols.

4:26 am

Netanyahu calls on Netherlands ‘to act decisively and swiftly against the rioters’

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says the premier has called for two planes to be dispatched to Amsterdam to bring back Israelis after fans of the Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer club were violently assaulted in the Dutch city by an apparent pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel mob.

A statement from the PMO quotes Netanyahu calling on Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof and local security forces “to act decisively and swiftly against the rioters, and to ensure the wellbeing of our citizens.”

Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon denounces the violence as “a pogrom.”

“These are the true faces of the supporters of the radical terrorism we are fighting. The Western world needs to wake up now!!” he writes in a post on X.

4:15 am

Assailants shouting ‘free Palestine’ brutally attack Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam

Screenshot from a video showing masked assailants, one of them carrying a Palestinian flag, assaulting a fan of the Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer team in Amsterdam on November 8, 2024. (X screenshot; used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

Fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv report being attacked in the streets of Amsterdam after the Israeli soccer team’s loss to local club Ajax, with video from the Dutch city showing brutal assaults by masked assailants, some of whom carry Palestinian flags and shout “free Palestine.”

Reports say several Israelis were injured, but there are no immediate details.

Some of the targeted Israelis’ passports were stolen by the attackers, according to Hebrew media outlets.

WARNING: Graphic footage

Some horrifying "just anti-Zionism" in Amsterdam tonight as Israeli soccer fans are lynched by huge pro-Palestine mobs. Where are the police?! pic.twitter.com/HMwQgCwJMi

— Eitan Fischberger (@EFischberger) November 8, 2024

2:05 am

Knesset formally approves Katz as defense minister after Gallant’s firing

By AFP and ToI Staff

Defense Minister Israel Katz is sworn in before the Knesset, after his predecessor Yoav Gallant’s shock dismissal by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over a breakdown in trust during the war in Gaza.

Before taking over from Gallant, Katz — who vowed to defeat Israel’s enemies — was the foreign minister. MKs also approved Gideon Sa’ar as his appointed successor.

1:03 am

GOP’s Dave McCormick, who made bid for Jewish voters, declared winner of Pennsylvania Senate race

By AP

Republican Pennsylvania Senate candidate David McCormick, left, arrives to speak with his wife, Dina Powell, during an election night watch party, November 6, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

ARRISBURG, Pennsylvania — Republican David McCormick has won Pennsylvania’s pivotal US Senate seat, as the former CEO of the world’s largest hedge fund beats three-term Democratic Senator Bob Casey in the election after accusing the incumbent of supporting policies that led to inflation, domestic turmoil and war.

The victory pads Republicans’ majority in the Senate, which they wrested from Democratic control this week, and clocked in as the nation’s second-most expensive race while playing out alongside the presidential contest in the nation’s premier battleground state.

McCormick, 59, recaptures a GOP seat in Pennsylvania after Republicans lost one in 2022, paying off a bet that party brass made when they urged McCormick to run and consolidated support behind him.

Republican strategists largely credit Donald Trump’s strong performance in Pennsylvania, beating Vice President Kamala Harris in the state by about 2 percent, as Democrats navigated headwinds like voter dissatisfaction over inflation under President Joe Biden.

That was enough to help pull McCormick to victory, they say.

Until Tuesday, Casey, 64, had won six statewide general elections going back to 1996, but he had never been on the same ballot as Trump.

With votes still being counted, McCormick led Casey by about 31,000 votes or half a percentage point.

McCormick tried to capitalize on turmoil in the Middle East and at the US southern border with Mexico.

He made a bid for Jewish voters by traveling to the Israel-Gaza border, speaking to Jewish audiences across the state and arguing that Casey and the Biden administration have not fought antisemitism or backed Israel strongly enough in the Israel-Hamas war.

12:55 am

In first appointment, Trump taps his campaign manager to be White House chief of staff

US President-elect Donald Trump brings Susie Wiles to the podium at an election night watch party, November 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Florida. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

US President-elect Donald Trump names his campaign manager, Susie Wiles, as White House chief of staff, his first major appointment since winning this week’s election.

“Susie is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected,” Trump says in a statement. “Susie will continue to work tirelessly to Make America Great Again. It is a well deserved honor to have Susie as the first-ever female Chief of Staff in United States history.”

12:43 am

US says Israel starting to carry out steps to boost Gaza aid that administration demanded