Dutch government investigating possible missed warnings from Israel

 Israeli Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters are guarded by police after violence targeting Israeli football fans broke out in Amsterdam overnight, in the  Netherlands, Nov. 8. Reuters-Yonhap

Israeli Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters are guarded by police after violence targeting Israeli football fans broke out in Amsterdam overnight, in the Netherlands, Nov. 8. Reuters-Yonhap

The Dutch government is investigating if possible warning signs from Israel were missed in events leading up to this week's assaults on Israeli soccer fans, Justice Minister David van Weel said in a letter to Parliament.

"An investigation is still being conducted on possible warning signs from Israel," Van Weel said in his letter late Friday evening.

At least five people were injured during the assaults Thursday night and treated in hospital. All were released later Friday. The incident concerned fans of the visiting Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer team.

Police on Saturday said four people remained in custody of the 63 people initially detained.

"The Public Prosecution Service has stated that it aims to apply fast-track justice as much as possible," Van Weel said, adding that it is "the absolute priority" to identify every suspect.

He said the investigation would also examine whether the assaults were organized, with an antisemitic motive.

Political leaders have already denounced the attacks as antisemitic. Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said Friday he was "horrified by the anti-Semitic attacks on Israeli citizens" and had assured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone that "the perpetrators will be identified and prosecuted."

Israel sent extra planes to The Netherlands to bring fans home, but a Dutch government spokesperson could not immediately confirm how many people made use of this.

Videos on social media on what happened showed riot police in action, with some attackers shouting anti-Israeli slurs. Footage also showed Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters chanting anti-Arab slogans before Thursday evening's match.

Amsterdam banned demonstrations through the weekend and gave police emergency stop-and-search powers in response to the unrest.

Antisemitic incidents have surged in the Netherlands since Israel launched its assault on the Palestinian enclave of Gaza after the attacks on Israel by Hamas militants in October last year, with many Jewish organizations and schools reporting threats and hate mail. (Reuters)

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