Rabat – In the wake of recent clashes between Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters and pro-Palestine Ajax fans in Amsterdam, Palestine’s Foreign Ministry has issued a statement condemning the anti-Arab violence displayed by Israeli football fans.
The violence occurred ahead of Thursday’s Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv. Videos circulating online depict a large number of Maccabi supporters marching through Amsterdam’s streets, waving Israeli flags, and chanting anti-Arab slogans.
These fans were reportedly tearing down Palestinian flags displayed on buildings, a provocative act that has been denounced as a blatant attack on symbols of Palestinian solidarity. The confrontation escalated as the Maccabi fans clashed with pro-Palestinian Ajax supporters.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry described the actions of the Maccabi fans as “hostile” and “disrespectful” and condemned the “desecration and removal of the Palestinian flag from symbolic sites that signify solidarity with Palestinian rights and resistance against the ongoing occupation and the ongoing genocide in Gaza.”
The Ministry called on the Dutch government to conduct an immediate investigation into the violence and to ensure the safety of Palestinians and Arabs living in the Netherlands.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took to X to condemn what he described as attacks against his citizens, calling the clashes “horrifying” and demanding that the Dutch government take “vigorous and swift action” against those involved.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof also condemned the violence and said it was “unacceptable.” He said he was “horrified by the antisemitic attacks on Israeli citizens,” adding that “perpetrators will be identified and prosecuted.”
Schoof added that he had been in communication with Netanyahu to discuss the situation and that Amsterdam “is now calm once more.”
