Stephen Kalin, Anat Peled, Benoit Faucon and Sune Engel Rasmussen
WSJ, Nov. 8, 2024
“I thought I was going to die. Everyone was running like crazy.”
Israel said it was sending planes to the Netherlands to evacuate citizens after street violence following a soccer game in Amsterdam, where Israeli fans were chased down and beaten in what leaders of both countries called antisemitic attacks.
The violence followed police warnings of tensions ahead of the game, which included friction between Israeli fans and others with heated references to the war in Gaza.
It couldn’t be determined what set off the violence. At least five people were hospitalized, according to Amsterdam police, who made 62 arrests. At least three were missing, according to Israel’s Foreign Ministry.
Antisemitic acts have been on the rise in Europe in the past year, prompting warnings from Jewish community leaders. Several noted the symbolism of the Amsterdam violence coming close to the Kristallnacht anniversary, on Nov. 9-10, when German Nazis attacked Jewish people and property in 1938. … [To read the full article, click here]
