Eu Day Light

Israel’s Foreign Ministry reacted to the decision preventing Hapoel Be’er Sheva supporters from attending a match in the Dutch city of Alkmaar.

In a statement posted on the ministry’s social media account, it was claimed that despite two years having passed since attacks on Israelis in Amsterdam, victims rather than attackers were being punished in the Netherlands.

The statement claimed that barring Israeli supporters from the match in Alkmaar rewarded those who threatened violence and those who encouraged it, adding that the decision was contrary to the spirit of sport.

The statement also alleged that antisemitic attacks linked to anti-Israel rhetoric were increasing in the Netherlands and argued that measures such as barring Israeli supporters from matches and boycotting Eurovision were damaging the Netherlands’ international reputation.