Israeli authorities knew ahead of time that organized violence by local Arab and Muslim gangs was planned at Maccabi Tel Aviv’s soccer game in Amsterdam on Thursday, but nothing was shared with the team or its fans, about 3,000 of whom traveled to see the game against Dutch team Ajax.
Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Ministry created a warning document Wednesday that discussed a “very high risk” of such attacks, The Times of Israel reported Friday, citing Channel 12 news reports. The warning was based on “indications” on social media monitored by the ministry, including overt online coordination of plans for violent demonstrations.
The ministry document included a screenshot from an Instagram post by Dutch Palestinian group PGNL that read “No Zionists in UEFA/FIFA,” referring to soccer’s European and world governing bodies. The ministry’s warning noted that protesters were told not to carry Palestinian flags or other signs of Palestinian affiliation.
The Diaspora Affairs Ministry’s warning was shared with the Foreign Ministry and “a discussion was held,” The Times of Israel reported. But neither of the ministries, nor the nation’s National Security Council, issued warnings or guidelines to Maccabi Tel Aviv or its fans.
Hundreds of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were beaten and injured in violent clashes after the game. Amsterdam officials reportedly said Friday morning that five injured Israeli soccer fans were released from a hospital, and 20 to 30 other people suffered minor injuries. A total of 63 individuals were arrested and 10 remain in custody, police said.
The Network Contagion Research Institute, a group that tracks online hate, said in a post on its X account that WhatsApp and Telegram were used to coordinate the attacks — and that an administrator of a WhatsApp group was a former employee of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNWRA). Several UNWRA employees were believed to have participated in Iranian-backed Hamas’ terrorist attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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