Netanyahu sends rescue planes to Amsterdam after Israeli fans attacked during Europa League match | Video

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly sending two rescue planes to Amsterdam after Israeli fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv football club were attacked by attackers during Europa League matches. The incident happened on Thursday evening after fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv left the stadium where the team fought unsuccessfully against AFC Ajax.

According to reports, several Israelis were injured and the severity of their injuries is unclear. The Israeli government said they could not contact their citizens and urged Israeli citizens not to leave their hotels. They have also been asked not to display Israeli or Jewish symbols in public.

It is said that two are missing. Some of them reported that their passports had been stolen.

Local media Kan 11 News quoted an unnamed Israeli as saying the attackers were waiting in groups on every corner to identify Jews. “They started chasing Israeli fans. They also waited in larger groups near hotels and casinos. Some drove past incars and did not stop honking near hotels where Israelis are staying,” he added.

The report added that police only intervened in the attacks after 30 to 45 minutes, after the attackers threw fireworks at people and into buildings. “Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed shock over the incident, calling it “horrific.” He added that he views the incident with the utmost seriousness and demands that the Dutch government and security forces take strong and swift action against the rioters.

“The Prime Minister has ordered that two rescue planes be sent immediately to assist our citizens. The harsh images of the attack on our citizens in Amsterdam will not be overlooked,” the Prime Minister’s Office said.

Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, called the incident a pogrom currently taking place in Europe in 2024. “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 message on X.