Palestinian Foreign Ministry speaks on Amsterdam clashes involving Maccabi Tel Aviv fans, denounces anti-Arab slogans
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry has denounced the recent clashes involving hundreds of Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters in Amsterdam.
It cites “anti-Arab slogans and hostile actions carried out by supporters of an Israeli football club.”
Prior to Thursday night’s game, videos surfaced showing Maccabi supporters rallying, waving Israeli flags, and chanting anti-Arab slogans while removing Palestinian flags from buildings across the city.
The Foreign Ministry criticized these actions, stating the “desecration and removal of the Palestinian flag from symbolic sites that signify solidarity with Palestinian rights and resistance against the ongoing occupation and the genocide in Gaza.”
In response, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry urged the Dutch government to take swift action. “The Ministry calls on the Dutch government to conduct an immediate investigation into the instigators of these disturbances and to protect Palestinians and Arabs residing in the Netherlands,” the ministry’s statement continued.
He described the incidents as “despicable” and reminiscent of historic persecution against Jewish communities. In a Facebook post, Biden stated, “The antisemitic attacks on Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam are despicable and echo dark moments in history when Jews were persecuted.”
The incident has amplified tensions between Israeli and Palestinian supporters, with Palestinian representatives viewing the supporters’ actions as a direct affront to the symbols representing Palestinian resilience and solidarity worldwide.
