What We're Watching

Israeli soccer fans attacked in Amsterdam

Israeli Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters are guarded by police after violence targeting Israeli football fans broke out in Amsterdam overnight, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, November 8, 2024.
Israeli Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters are guarded by police after violence targeting Israeli football fans broke out in Amsterdam overnight, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, November 8, 2024.
REUTERS/Ami Shooman/Israel Hayom

Israeli soccer fans were attacked overnight in Amsterdam after a Europa League match between Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv and the Dutch club Ajax, in violence that Dutch and Israeli officials condemned as antisemitic. Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said he was “horrified by the antisemitic attacks on Israeli citizens,” adding that it was “completely unacceptable.” Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsemasaid that supporters of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were “attacked, abused, and pelted with fireworks"

At least five people were hospitalized and 62 were arrested. The Israeli foreign ministry said at least 10 Israeli citizens were injured. Dutch police said they’re aware of reports pointing to a “possible hostage situation and missing persons but currently have no confirmation that this actually took place.”

The circumstances leading up to the attacks are not entirely clear. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators made attempts to reach the stadium where the match was being held, even though the city had banned protests in the area. Videos circulating on social media have reportedly shown Maccabi Tel Aviv fans in the Dutch capital singing “Death to the Arabs” and “Let the IDF win. We will f*** the Arabs,” though it’s unclear when these were filmed.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office initially ordered two rescue planes to Amsterdam to bring home Israeli citizens, but that plan was later scrapped. Israel’s new Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said he’s traveling to the Netherlands on Friday to discuss the incident with his Dutch counterpart.

It was announced earlier this week that an upcoming match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Turkish club Besiktas would be played in a "neutral country" due to security concerns, in a move highlighting the tensions and concerns surrounding the war in Gaza. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been particularly critical of Israel during the war.

More For You

Microsoft recently published its latest Global AI Diffusion Report, showing continued growth in AI usage worldwide. In the first quarter of 2026, global usage increased from 16.3% to 17.8%, with 26 economies now exceeding 30% adoption. As adoption expands, regional gaps are also becoming clearer. The report highlights faster growth in parts of Asia and a widening divide between the Global North and South. It also points to advances like multilingual AI and coding capabilities, driving increased usage and software development globally. Read the full blog here.