Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday ordered two planes to be sent to the Netherlands to bring football fans home after the violent clashes in Amsterdam.

Netanyahu’s office said in a statement on X that “two rescue planes” were sent “to provide immediate assistance to our citizens.”

“The harsh images of the attack on our citizens in Amsterdam will not be overlooked,” the Prime Minister’s Office continued.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu views the horrific incident with the utmost seriousness and demands that the Dutch government and security forces take strong and swift action against the rioters and ensure the safety of our citizens,” the statement said.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry said three Israelis were missing after the violent clashes and 10 people had been injured. The extent of their injuries was not clear Friday morning.

Dutch police said five people required hospital treatment and 62 arrests had been made.

Maccabi Tel Aviv FC said in a statement on

The club warned its supporters to stay in their hotel rooms and warned supporters to avoid displaying Israeli or Jewish symbols.

Dutch Prime Minister denounces attacks

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof condemned the incident, saying on X that he “followed the news from Amsterdam with horror. Completely unacceptable anti-Semitic attacks on Israelis.”

The Dutch leader said he was in close communication with Netanyahu and that he had emphasized that those responsible would be “detected and prosecuted”.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was among those who condemned the attacks.

“Outraged by last night’s vicious attacks on Israeli civilians in Amsterdam,” Von der Leyen said, adding that she had been in contact with the Dutch prime minister.

“I strongly condemn these unacceptable acts. Anti-Semitism absolutely has no place in Europe. And we are determined to fight all forms of hatred,” Von der Leyen said on X.

What happened in Amsterdam?

About 3,000 Maccabi Tel Aviv fans attended their club’s Europa League away match at Ajax Amsterdam.

Raz Amir, a journalist reporting from Maccabi Tel Aviv, tweeted that according to testimonies he heard from supporters present, the attack was “pre-coordinated.”

According to Amir, the attackers “had precise information about where to wait (for the Maccabi supporters), and once they identified Israelis, they jumped on them with knives and clubs.”

Video footage of the post-match attacks showed an Israeli being beaten and cornered by a group of young men dressed in black.

Clashes broke out before the match between pro-Palestinian demonstrators and Dutch police, who had reported ‘tensions’ in several parts of the city in the run-up to the match, which Ajax won 5–0.

Amsterdam’s city council said Thursday evening was “very turbulent with several incidents targeting Maccabi supporters.” Rioters “actively sought out Israeli supporters to attack and abuse them,” the local government said in a statement.

In an earlier post on

Police later said that several hundred Maccabi fans had gathered on Dam Square, where the atmosphere was reportedly tense but then calmed down.

A pro-Palestinian demonstration against the visit of the Israeli football club was initially scheduled to take place near the stadium, but was moved by the city authorities for security reasons.

Clashes had occurred when part of the group of demonstrators tried to reach the stadium but were stopped by riot police, who were pelted with ‘heavy fireworks’.

Police said they had a visible presence in the city.

Tensions before the match

Even before the match, news of possible clashes circulated both on social media and in the media in Israel.

A report from the Dutch newspaper Telegraph even reported Mossad agents will accompany Maccabi Tel Aviv to the Netherlands due to the increased risk.

Tensions were also expected to be high due to the fact that Turkish side Fenerbahce were playing away at AZ Alkmaar, just 40 kilometers from Amsterdam, with Turkish supporters known to support the Palestinian cause.

The night before the match, videos began making the rounds on social media showing Maccabi Tel Aviv fans removing Palestinian flags from windows in the Dutch capital. In one of the videos, a group sang an insulting song about Gaza and the Palestinians.

That same evening, and without any connection between the two developments, videos began circulating documenting attacks on Israelis on the streets of Amsterdam, with swear words in Arabic and English in the background.

Felix Tamsut contributed to this report.

kb/sms (AFP, Reuters, AP, DPA)