Attacks on Israeli fans in Netherlands prompt PM to cancel trip to climate talks

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Dutch Prime Minister Deek Schoof canceled a trip to United Nations climate talks in Azerbaijan on Saturday so he could stay in the Netherlands to deal with the aftermath of the attacks on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans » in Amsterdam, which the authorities condemned as anti-Semitic.

The government will discuss the violence on Thursday night at a cabinet meeting on Monday, Shoof posted on X, saying he would hold talks on the fight against anti-Semitism on Tuesday.

Police have launched a wide-ranging investigation after gangs of youths carried out what Amsterdam’s mayor called a “hit-and-run” attack on fans apparently inspired by calls on social media to attack Jews. Five people were treated in hospitals, more than 60 suspects were arrested. Amsterdam police said four suspects remained in jail Saturday.

In addition to the police investigation and an independent investigation announced by Amsterdam’s mayor, Dutch Justice and Security Minister David van Weel said in a letter to lawmakers that the government is investigating whether warnings of possible Israeli violence were ignored in the run-up to Europa. Championship match between Ajax and Maccabi.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar rushed to the Netherlands on Friday and offered Israel’s help in the police investigation. On Saturday, he met with his Dutch counterpart Kaspar Veldkamp.

Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema said the Dutch anti-terrorist service had reported before the match that there was no “specific threat” to Israeli fans and the match was not considered high risk.

Despite this, Amsterdam authorities banned a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside the Johan Cruyff Arena, where the match took place on Thursday night. The video also shows a large crowd of Israeli fans chanting anti-Arab slogans on their way to the game. Afterward, youths on scooters and on foot set off in search of Israeli fans, punching and kicking them before quickly fleeing to avoid hundreds of police officers stationed throughout the city, Galsema said.

Schoof returned early from the European Union summit in Hungary and met with representatives of the Jewish community in the Netherlands on Friday evening.

“It was a compelling conversation about the sadness and uncertainty that the Jewish community is going through. Every day they feel the consequences of the rise of anti-Semitism in the Netherlands,” said Schoof on X.

Demonstrations were banned across Amsterdam over the weekend and security was increased at Jewish sites in the city, which has a large Jewish community and was home to Jewish diarist Anne Frank and her family in hiding from the Nazis. the occupiers