14 November 2024
The world is in shock after the violence that erupted following the Maccabi Tel Aviv-Ajax soccer match in Amsterdam on the evening of 7th November.
About 3000 Israelis were in Amsterdam to attend the match. At least 10 Israelis were injured by local Arab and Muslim gangs who attacked Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer fans in many parts of the city following the soccer match. Hundreds of Israelis huddled in their hotels for hours, fearing they could be attacked. Many said that Dutch security forces were nowhere to be found, as the Israeli tourists were ambushed by gangs of masked assailants who shouted pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel slogans while they hunted, beat and harassed them.
Pro-Palestinian activists claimed the Israeli fans were the first to engage in harassment and violence, although those claims have not been verified. Dutch broadcaster NOS reported that a Palestinian flag was ripped off a building in the center of the city. City officials said that ten Israelis had been arrested ahead of the soccer match that preceded the antisemitic attacks. Dutch Prime Minister Schoof condemned the actions of the Maccabi Tel Aviv fans, but stressed that “there is a big difference between destroying things and hunting Jews,” Schoof said.
It has become clear that this was a premeditated act of terror targeting the Jewish community. Reminiscent of some of the darkest episodes in European history, it has deeply alarmed Jewish communities in Europe and abroad.
It has also exposed security gaps. Evidence is emerging that the attacks were coordinated by extremist networks linked to former UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees) employee Ayman Nejmeh.
The attack underscores a troubling reality: radical groups across Europe are increasingly using public gatherings as venues for antisemitic violence, leveraging social media and transnational networks to amplify their impact.
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"Reminiscent of some of the darkest episodes in European history, it has deeply alarmed Jewish communities in Europe and abroad."
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Europe stands at a crossroads. We cannot dismiss this resurgence of antisemitism, nor can we afford to repeat the mistakes of history by neglecting the safety of Jewish communities. In 1938, Kristallnacht – orchestrated by the Nazi regime – devastated Jewish lives and businesses across Germany. Today, European leaders must act with urgency and determination to prevent a repeat of such tragedies.
The Dutch government has recognized the severity of this incident and pledged to investigate failures within its police and National Coordinator for Terrorism Prevention and Security. Why were the Dutch intelligence, security and police institutions unable to prevent the attacks? This must be clarified.
But that is not enough. The Dutch government, European Union authorities, and international bodies must take immediate action to ensure that those involved are held accountable, leaving no one unpunished or at large. They must examine connections with organizations like UNRWA and scrutinize former employees of international agencies suspected of engaging in antisemitic and violent activities. And they must strengthen protections for Jewish communities.
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"It is time for our governments to confront antisemitic narratives that underlie these attacks."
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It is also time for our governments to confront antisemitic narratives that underlie these attacks. For too long, governments have failed to prevent misinformation and slogans that incite violence under false pretences, which serve as rallying points for extremism. The right to freedom of speech does not justify the dangerous calls for intifada and for the liberation of Palestine "from the river to the sea" - all such slogans denying the right of the Jewish people to self-determination and the legitimacy of the Jewish State of Israel, feed the latent antisemitism and inevitably lead to physical attacks on Jewish people.
Our leaders must act decisively to protect all citizens, in this case, the Jewish communities and the Israeli tourists.
At this time, let us stand in solidarity with Jewish communities and reaffirm our commitment to promoting security, justice, and tolerance.
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Christians for Israel: ‘We Stand Unconditionally with the Jewish Community Amid Recent Antisemitic Attacks’
It is deeply distressing that, here in the Netherlands, we have failed to provide safety for Jews. As Christians for Israel, we stand in unyielding solidarity with the Jewish community.
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Amsterdam mayor condemns the ‘antisemitism, hooliganism’ behind attacks on Israelis
City officials say 10 Israelis were arrested ahead of Thursday’s soccer match; Dutch police warn of fresh calls for rioting after anti-Israel protesters set fire to tram car Monday.
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The Amsterdam pogrom is what happens when the world tolerates antisemitism
The premeditated attacks weren’t provoked by Israelis. They were the inevitable consequence of a sinister red-green anti-Zionist alliance of leftists and Islamists in Europe.
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Trump nominates Stefanik for UN envoy role
“Elise is an incredibly strong, tough and smart America First fighter,” the president-elect said.
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Will Trump’s ‘America First’ foreign policy help or hurt Israel?
The new administration won’t be isolationist. But unlike its predecessor, it will be skeptical of the United Nations, European opinion and a blank check for Ukraine.
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Huckabee: Annexing Judea and Samaria ‘of course’ a possibility
Former Ark. Gov. Mike Huckabee will be the new US Ambassador to Israel. Huckabee, who boasts an impressive record of Israel support, called his appointment as an "extraoardinary opportunity."
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Stupid Question | The Book of RUTH with Johannes Gerloff #50
If the Holy Scriptures make statements that are illogical, then this needs to be noticed. If questions are asked that are actually illogical, you have to talk about them.
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SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK:
Joel 3:1-16
“In those days and at that time,
when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,
2 I will gather all nations
and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
There I will put them on trial
for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel,
because they scattered my people among the nations
and divided up my land.
3 They cast lots for my people
and traded boys for prostitutes;
they sold girls for wine to drink.
4 “Now what have you against me, Tyre and Sidon and all you regions of Philistia? Are you repaying me for something I have done? If you are paying me back, I will swiftly and speedily return on your own heads what you have done.
5 For you took my silver and my gold and carried off my finest treasures to your temples.
6 You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks,that you might send them far from their homeland.
7 “See, I am going to rouse them out of the places to which you sold them, and I will return on your own heads what you have done. 8 I will sell your sons and daughters to the people of Judah,and they will sell them to the Sabeans, a nation far away.” The Lord has spoken.
9 Proclaim this among the nations:
Prepare for war!
Rouse the warriors!
Let all the fighting men draw near and attack.
10 Beat your plowshares into swords
and your pruning hooks into spears.
Let the weakling say,
“I am strong!”
11 Come quickly, all you nations from every side,
and assemble there.
Bring down your warriors, Lord!
12 “Let the nations be roused;
let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat,
for there I will sit
to judge all the nations on every side.
13 Swing the sickle,
for the harvest is ripe.
Come, trample the grapes,
for the winepress is full
and the vats overflow—
so great is their wickedness!”
14 Multitudes, multitudes
in the valley of decision!
For the day of the Lord is near
in the valley of decision.
15 The sun and moon will be darkened,
and the stars no longer shine.
16 The Lord will roar from Zion
and thunder from Jerusalem;
the earth and the heavens will tremble.
But the Lord will be a refuge for his people,
a stronghold for the people of Israel.
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Israel & Christians Today
The goal of Israel & Christians Today is to help Christians to take God’s Word seriously, and study current events in the world in the context of the Bible.
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