The Israeli Foreign Ministry highly condemned the choice by a Dutch mayor to prohibit Israeli soccer fans from going to a match in the city of Alkmaar since of ‘security issues’.
According to Dutch news website NieuwsuurAlkmaar Mayor Anja Schouten promoted her choice to bar Hapoel Be’er Sheva F.C. fans from going to the match versus regional club AZ. Recently, she stated the restriction was meant to avoid public condition around the city.
The choice came regardless of reports that Israeli Ambassador Zvi Aviner Vapni had actually telephoned Schouten to ask that Israeli advocates be enabled to participate in the match securely, “if essential, in minimal numbers.”
“Two years after Israelis were hunted through the streets of Amsterdam, the Dutch response is to prohibit the victims, not the aggressors,” the foreign ministry mentioned on, describing a 2024 occurrence in which a minimum of 10 Israeli soccer fans were hurt after being assaulted by Arab and Muslim gangs.
“Alkmaar’s exemption of Hapoel Be’er Sheva fans benefits those who threaten and prompt violence and runs counter to the really spirit of sport,” the ministry continued.
Hate is in the air. I prepared to drive to Alkmaar to support Hapoel Be’er Sheva ⚽, however all Israeli fans were prohibited by the Municipality due to”really high threat. “When Hezbollah and Hamas cheerleaders are enabled to march and commemorate Oct 7th massacre, no surprise it’s “high risk.”
Rather of stopping the extremists, they prohibited the fans. Stand versus hate, not versus football fans. ⚽ @ISRAELFA @HBS_FC– Avi Nir-Feldklein (@avraham_nir) October 13, 2026
“This exemption of Israelis comes in the middle of a wave of antisemitic attacks in the Netherlands, sustained by anti-Israel incitement from Dutch political leaders and public figures. Prohibiting Israeli fans from going to the match, like boycotting Eurovision, is yet another stain on the Netherlands, as the nation significantly turns into one of the world’s leading hotspots for antisemitism.”
Ahead of the match, pro-Palestinian companies alerted that “the arrival of numerous previous IDF soldiers and fans of genocide is undesirable.”
“Hate is in the air,” stated Israel’s ambassador to the European Union, Avi Nir-Feldklein. “I prepared to drive to Alkmaar to support Hapoel Be’er Sheva, however all Israeli advocates were prohibited by the Municipality due to ‘really high threat.'”
“When Hezbollah and Hamas cheerleaders are permitted to march and commemorate the October 7th massacre, not surprising that it’s ‘high threat.’ Rather of stopping the extremists, they prohibited the fans. Stand versus hate, not versus football fans,” he composed on.
Hapoel Be’er Sheva dealt with another associated restriction last month, when the mayor of the Belgian city of Leuven, Mohamed Ridouani, required a match versus Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise to be vacated his city, likewise mentioning “security issues.”
In action to that event, a representative for the Israeli Embassy in Belgium kept in mind on that Hapoel Be’er Sheva “is an example of coexistence in Israeli football. The group consists of 3 Arab-Israeli gamers: Muhammad Abu Rumi, Mohammed Kna’an and Zahi Ahmed. Politics must never ever be enabled to disrupt sports.”
A U.S.-based legal company, the Lawfare Project, informed Dutch News it may take legal action versus the restriction, arguing it is inequitable as UEFA is score Hapoel Be’er Sheva fans as presenting a “medium threat.”
It likewise argued that, if security for the match can not be ensured, no one needs to be enabled to go to, instead of prohibiting simply one side.
Regardless of the restriction, 2 presentations versus the Israeli group are still prepared to go on. Due to security issues, Schouten purchased the demonstrations, which were prepared to be kept in front of the arena, to be transferred to various areas.
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