Israeli Soccer Fans Attack Property, Pro-Palestine Supporters and Homes, then Play Victim

 The Netherlands

 

In Amsterdam, the Israeli soccer team, called Maccabi Tel Aviv played against the Dutch team Ajax in the European League. Before and after the match, fans of the Israeli team marched through Amsterdam. They chanted anti-Arab slogans, including “Let the IDF win, and f--- the Arabs!” They also sang a song with the words, “There are no schools in Gaza because there are no children left.” But it was not only sloganeering. They attacked homes which were displaying the Palestinian flags and attacked Palestinians and their supporters.

 

Amsterdam city Councilmember Jazie Veldhuyzen said Israeli fans instigated the violence after arriving in the city and attacked Palestinian supporters before the match. “They began attacking houses of people in Amsterdam with Palestinian flags, so that’s actually where the violence started. As a reaction, Amsterdammers mobilised themselves and countered the attacks that started on Wednesday by the Maccabi hooligans.” (Al-Jazeera, November 8)

 

In a further display of Zionist arrogance, some Maccabi Tel Aviv fans and one of the players refused to observe the minute of silence in mourning for the victims of the Valencia floods, called during the soccer match.

 

While the Israeli fans were rampaging through Amsterdam, the police did nothing. Then, locals, including about 100 taxi drivers, responded to the Zionist violence. About six people were injured, and 62 arrested in the resulting clashes.

 

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said “The perpetrators will be tracked down and prosecuted.” Separately, in a social media post, he said, “Completely unacceptable anti-Semitic attacks on Israelis.” (Al-Jazeera, November 8)

 

Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema issued a similar statement, disavowing antisemitism and expressing concern for the Israelis. She also banned Palestine-solidarity protests in the city, ostensibly to prevent further violence. It was this ban which resulted in many of the arrests, as people insisted on marching.

 

Predictably, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamen Netanyahu described what had happened as a “very violent incident against Israeli citizens.” In a statement issued by his office, he said he “views the horrifying incident with utmost gravity and demands that the Dutch government and security forces take vigorous and swift action against the rioters, and ensure the safety of our citizens.” He also dispatched two military cargo planes to evacuate Israeli citizens. The Israeli government banned further travel by its citizens to the Netherlands. (Al-Jazeera, November 8)

 

In the meantime, nearly all corporate media issued very one-sided reports of the clashes, portraying what had happened as an antisemitic episode, and opining that Europe had proved once again to be a dangerous place for the long-suffering Jews.