A plane carrying Israelis repatriated from Amsterdam landed in Tel Aviv on Friday, the day after the violence that occurred after a Europa League match in Amsterdam.
Several people were injured Thursday in this violence described as an “explosion of anti-Semitism” by the mayor of the city to which Israel dispatched planes to repatriate Israeli citizens.
A first plane intended to repatriate Israeli citizens from Amsterdam “has just arrived in Tel Aviv”, a spokesperson for the airport authorities, Liza Dvir, told AFP on Friday afternoon. This violence represents an “explosion of anti-Semitism” that “has not been seen for a long time,” said Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema, citing people who beat supporters of the Maccabi Tel Aviv team before to flee, with “hooligans on scooters” looking for Israeli supporters.
Enhanced security measures
The mayor of Amsterdam also announced a strengthening of security measures as well as a temporary ban on demonstrations in the capital.
Widely deployed on Thursday before the match, the Dutch police were on alert after a Palestinian flag was torn down the day before from a facade on a major avenue in the city center.
“The violence had already started on Wednesday evening between supporters. It was a night with incidents on both sides. Maccabi supporters removed a flag from a facade of the Rokin and destroyed a taxi. A Palestinian flag was set on fire on the dam,” Amsterdam police chief Peter Holla said on Friday.
The United Nations and the European Commission strongly condemn Thursday evening's attacks.
Israel temporarily bans travel to the Netherlands for its soldiers; the head of Israeli diplomacy speaks with his Dutch counterpart.
The incidents come against a backdrop of an increase in anti-Semitic acts around the world, particularly since the Israel-Hamas conflict.
