Europe 1 with AFP
06:15, November 8, 2024modified to
07h40, 08 November 2024
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister, ordered two planes to be sent to Amsterdam this Friday morning to rescue Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters after violence led to dozens of arrests on the sidelines of a Europa League match.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered two planes to be sent to Amsterdam on Friday morning to rescue Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters after clashes led to dozens of arrests on the sidelines of a Europa League match.
“The Prime Minister ordered the immediate dispatch of two relief planes to help our citizens,” according to a statement from his office, specifying that Mr. Netanyahu considered “the appalling incident with the greatest seriousness.”
Clashes during the night from Thursday to Friday
Clashes broke out overnight in the center of Amsterdam, following the football match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel-Aviv and won by the Dutch club (5-0). “A large number of vehicles from the mobile unit are present and reinforcements have also been called. Young people are also said to have provoked the police,” local media AT5 described.
Police protected and escorted Israeli supporters to their hotel, according to footage shared by AT5. Amsterdam police, cited by the ANP agency, indicated that they had made 57 arrests in total during the day. She indicated on Thursday that she was “particularly vigilant” on her X account, after reporting several incidents, including a Palestinian flag torn from a facade “by unknown persons”.
A pro-Palestinian rally condemning the arrival of the Israeli club
In the afternoon, around a hundred Israeli supporters gathered on Dam Square – surrounded by a large police force – before going to the Johan Cruyff stadium, southwest of the Dutch capital.
A pro-Palestinian rally condemning the arrival of the Israeli club was initially planned near the stadium, but was moved a little further into the neighborhood by Amsterdam town hall for security reasons.
