In wake of Amsterdam unrest, security council sets safeguarding guidelines

As incidents of violence targeting Israeli nationals increase across Europe, the Israeli National Security Council (NSC) has issued a stark public notice urging caution for citizens abroad.

Israelis are advised to avoid high-profile events, particularly sports games and demonstrations, as pro-Palestinian groups intensify their actions under the guise of protests. With the upcoming Israeli national team match in Paris on November 14, the NSC warns travelers to stay vigilant, keep a low profile, and report any suspicious behavior immediately.

The guidelines aim to help travelers make safe choices, emphasizing that Israeli tourists should avoid public displays of Israeli or Jewish identity and choose secure transportation. The council’s detailed notice includes specific recommendations such as avoiding sports/ cultural events with Israelis abroad. 

They also advise against protests of any kind, informing police of antisemitic activity, minimizing Israeli/Jewish identification marks, and inspecting destinations before traveling.

In light of these advisories, recent violence following the Maccabi Tel Aviv vs. Ajax soccer match in Amsterdam provides a chilling example of the NSC’s concerns. In what began as pro-Palestine demonstrations near Dam Square, Israeli fans and tourists found themselves facing aggressive crowds.

Peleg Lewi, a Foreign Affairs Advisor to Israel’s Ministry of Tourism, spoke about the recent attack on Israeli tourists in Amsterdam. "Since October 7, Israeli tourists have chosen destinations where they feel welcome and safe, and Amsterdam has generally been seen as a secure location. While there are significant pro-Palestinian and Muslim communities in Amsterdam, there was no prior warning of the violence that occurred,” Lewi said.

Although there were warnings and signs that anti-Israel actions were going to take place during the soccer match, Lewi considers the risk-managing policies to protect Israelis abroad are good enough. “There are some events that you simply cannot predict, but I think our protocols are good enough, and I don't see a big change in the policies,” he added.

Travel advisory for Israeli

“With an increase in pro-Palestinian and anti-Semitic gangs in European cities, we advise Israeli tourists to stay cautious. We’ve seen incidents in London, Sweden, Amsterdam, and Brussels in the past,” he noted. “Israeli travelers should keep a low profile and make smart choices abroad.”

However, not every Israeli who traveled to Amsterdam for that match kept a low profile. Following the violence that took place after the soccer match, multiple anti-Israel social media profiles were proudly showing Israelis in the Dutch city committing acts of hooliganism in an attempt to create a narrative that the violence against Jews that day was justified. 

Ripping down Palestinian flags, chanting anti-Arab chants, and interrupting a moment of silence marking the death of children were some of the acts of vandalism observed by some Israelis. Suddenly, according to cyber-activists who used to praise the ripping of hostages’ posters, singing pro-Intifada songs, and burning the Israeli flag, the despicable acts by certain Macabbi Tel Aviv fans were considered good enough to justify violent reaction against all the passing Jews.

Despite the seemingly organic progression of the violence, from soccer hooliganism to a full-fledged Pogrom, the violence that happened after the game in Amsterdam was planned and expensively communicated via social media. Among the messages of those trying to trigger the chaos, one post claimed, “This is a direct clash with our enemy” and that “unfortunately, we have to prepare ourselves for dealing with grave violence” on an Instagram post.

In response, Ajax ultras stated that the stadium is a place for the club, the city, and unity. Therefore, "we do not want to see conflictual flags or political statements" during the game. "We will not allow this inside or outside the stadium and will intervene if necessary. Football is not politics!" they concluded, encouraging attendees to wear Ajax scarves to support the team.

Matan Kaminski, a Maccabi Tel Aviv fan in Amsterdam last week during the match with Ajax, told The Media Line, “This is my fourth time in Amsterdam, and each time, the anti-Israel sentiment seems to be worsening. At first, everything was great, but you feel uneasy because there are so many immigrants, and you never know what anyone might do at any given moment.”

Matan was one of the lucky ones who avoided the riots. After the game, as he stepped outside towards Dam Square because it’s a central location with a heavy police presence, he saw “many Arabs, immigrants, and people with shirts from Fenerbahce, a Turkish team, running towards Dam Square. Cars with Palestinian flags and a lot of people with flags were coming our way, so we quickly ran before the physical violence began. That’s how we escaped the chaos.”

However, according to Matan, the violence had nothing to do with the soccer rivalry. “this wasn’t about football. The only connection here is the hatred and persecution of Jews over the years. Because I was in the army, I managed to sense it earlier, right at the start of all the chaos,” he added. “While the Netherlands generally supports Israel, they aren’t doing anything about the safety of Israelis. The number of immigrants in Amsterdam just keeps growing, and they’re not supporters of Israel.”

Amir Gissin, CEO of Maccabi World Union, one of the largest Jewish organizations in the world in sports, has close to half a million members in almost 70 countries, told The Media Line that "Our franchise Maccabi Holland which is in Amsterdam, opened an emergency center which catered to 600 Maccabi fans, took care of them, gave them transportation, hotel accommodations, food and security, last night was the last flight which brought three remaining Israelis to Tel Aviv. We will always stand for its members worldwide and all Jewish community members in any location when in need of help and to combat antisemitism in sports and in all walks of life.”

In a meeting with the Israeli Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa’ar, the Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof described the recent attacks on Israelis in Amsterdam as a "turning point” and expressed his commitment to bringing the perpetrators to justice.