Israel Condemns Dutch Ban on Fans for Football Match

Israel has strongly condemned the decision by Dutch authorities to prohibit Israeli fans from attending a football match between Israeli club Hapoel Be'er Sheva and Dutch club AZ Alkmaar. The game is scheduled to take place on Thursday, October 15, in Alkmaar, with local authorities citing security concerns for the ban, according to The Jerusalem Post. The decision was first reported by Dutch news outlet Nieuwsuur, and a representative from the Alkmaar municipality confirmed to the outlet that the ban was final, meaning the match would proceed without visiting team supporters. At the time, Hapoel Be'er Sheva's website indicated the venue was still undetermined.

Israel's Ambassador to the Netherlands, Zvi Aviner Vapni, spoke with the Mayor of Alkmaar, urging her to do everything possible to allow Israeli fans to attend safely, even with restrictions. However, the municipal authorities did not alter their decision. Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs labeled the ban as another instance of unfair treatment towards Israelis. The ministry recalled attacks on Israeli fans in Amsterdam two years prior, during a match against Ajax, stating in a social media post that "two years after Israelis were hunted in the streets of Amsterdam, the Netherlands' response is to ban victims from attending the match, not the attackers." The ministry further asserted that the ban contradicts the spirit of sportsmanship and emboldens those who threaten and incite violence, linking the decision to a wave of antisemitic attacks in the Netherlands and identifying the country as a major global hub for antisemitism. Israel also criticized the country's boycott of the Eurovision song contest.

Despite the absence of Israeli fans, two anti-Israel demonstrations are planned in Alkmaar. Israel's Ambassador to the European Union, Avi Nir-Feldklain, who had intended to attend the match in support of the team, expressed confusion, stating, "When supporters of Hezbollah and Hamas are allowed to march and celebrate the October 7 massacre, it is not surprising that the risk is called very high. Instead of stopping extremists, they banned fans from attending." This marks the second such ban for Hapoel Be'er Sheva in less than a month; in September, the Mayor of Leuven, Belgium, prohibited a Europa League match scheduled for October 22 between Union SG and the Israeli team. Hapoel Be'er Sheva's roster includes three Arab-Israeli players: Muhammad Abu Rumi, Muhammad Knaan, and Zahi Ahmed.