Rising antisemitism in the Netherlands: Dutch Jews speak out amid anti-Israel protests
From attacks on Jewish-owned businesses in Amsterdam to protests targeting Israeli football fans, Dutch Jews tell i24NEWS of growing hostility and fears for their community.
When people say “Holland,” most think of Amsterdam, windmills, boats, and canals. Peace and quiet. But lately, life has been anything but quiet for the 40,000 Jews living in the country.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrations, outright support for Hamas, and hatred of Israel on the streets have become part of the landscape. The authorities are not doing enough, and the government is even fanning the flames.
Yehuda Naumburg, the uncle of Hallel and Yagel Yaniv, who were murdered in the 2023 terrorist attack in Huwara, also joined our reporter Yonatan Rohe at one of the demonstrations.
He said: “On a personal level, I want to stress that I’m not afraid. They’re standing here, and none of them has any idea what’s going on. We need to believe in the righteousness of our cause and in our country, and the whole world can go to hell.”
Gidi Markuszower, a member of the Dutch parliament, is a Jew born in Israel.
He said: “Attitudes toward Israel are becoming increasingly negative, and I think there are two reasons for this. On the one hand, the left and the ‘woke’ are increasingly anti-Jewish and anti-Israel. On the other hand, the Netherlands has imported a huge population from countries in North Africa and the Middle East, and people from those countries have brought strongly anti-Israel and anti-Jewish attitudes with them. Besides, Europe also has a far right.”
Almog and Ortal Lankri, the owners of the LA BASTA restaurant in Amsterdam, commented on the country’s anti-Israel legislation:
“We’re a restaurant that specializes mainly in dishes served in pita. Taking wines off the shelves because they were produced in the Golan Heights is something that stings. Beyond the fact that this law is antisemitic and difficult for those living abroad, we feel it even more as business owners abroad.”
“We don’t hide who we are. We have a Star of David on the wall. We have a mezuzah. The word ‘kosher’ is written in Hebrew. They’ve thrown eggs at the business, smashed our sign outside, and shouted all sorts of things at us here, but it won’t stop us,” they added.
Our correspondent also visited a protest aimed at Hapoel Be’er Sheva fans who were due to arrive to support their team in a football match against Alkmaar, even though the country’s laws prohibit them from attending it.
One of the signs read “Go Hamas” in Hebrew.
Ofer Heimer, a Hapoel Be’er Sheva fan, said:
“I flew in especially for this. I realized I wouldn’t be able to attend the match as soon as the mayor announced that we couldn’t enter. This is a dangerous precedent. If UEFA agrees to this, there is no future.”