By Worthy News’ Johan Th. Bos in Amsterdam and Stefan J. Bos in Budapest
JERUSALEM/BUDAPEST/AMSTERDAM (Worthy News) – Israel’s secret service Mossad reportedly warned of a potential threat to Israelis and Jews in the Netherlands ahead of the soccer game Ajax against Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam.
Mossad sent a warning to security forces in Israel and the Netherlands, requesting “an immediate and significant increase in security for Israelis near the soccer stadium,” Israeli sources said.
Several security sources reportedly saw an “escalation” on social media in the Netherlands Thursday.
An update was received by the security agency “regarding a threat against a former Border Police officer who attended a game in Amsterdam,” explained The Jerusalem Post newspaper.
The official was attacked, had his passport stolen, and his details were reportedly shared across social media, the paper recalled.
Dozens of Jews were injured in the violent anti-Israel violence. The antisemitic rioters were described as “Pro-Palestine Arab Muslims” by survivors and as “scooter youths” by local authorities.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that he had instructed Mossad to draw up a plan to prevent unrest at events abroad after the violence in Amsterdam.
“I have instructed the head of the Mossad (David Barnea) and other officials to prepare our actions, our warning system, and our organization for a new situation,” Netanyahu added in a video statement.
EMERGENCY MEETING
He attended an emergency meeting on Friday about the evacuation of Israeli soccer fans from Amsterdam.
The government decided against sending military planes, but El Al Israel Airlines said it sent additional aircraft to pick up attacked Jews, mainly Israeli soccer fans.
As evacuations were underway, Israel’s National Security Council on Friday urged Israelis not to attend the Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball team’s match in the Italian city of Bologna on Friday night after the incidents in Amsterdam.
The Council said it fears new attacks on Israeli fans.
They were also advised “to avoid wearing Israeli and Jewish symbols as much as possible at sporting events abroad,” Israeli media reported.
The attacks in Amsterdam came around the 86th anniversary of the “Kristallnacht,” or the “Night of Broken Glass,” when German Nazis and their allies attacked Jews throughout Germany on November 9-10, 1938.
Aafje van Kampen, an art painter born in 1941, wondered why the soccer match was allowed to take place on the eve of Kristallnacht commemorations. “I don’t understand why this could happen while there is so much antisemitism,” she added.
Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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