Even before the incidents in Amsterdam, Turkish authorities had decided that the duel could not be held in Turkey. Relations between Turkey and Israel are tense. In connection with Israel’s warfare in the Gaza Strip, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan repeatedly speaks of genocide. He describes the Islamist Hamas, which is responsible for the massacre in Israel on October 7, 2023, as a “liberation organization”. In August, Turkey also joined a genocide lawsuit against Israel brought by South Africa.
On the night of Thursday to Friday there were targeted attacks on Israeli fans after the game at Ajax Amsterdam. The attacks were condemned worldwide as anti-Semitic violence. A total of 62 people were arrested around the game.
Even before the game there had been clashes between Israeli fans and pro-Palestinian Dutch. According to the police, Maccabi supporters also rioted and provoked, including burning Palestinian flags. Videos have also been published showing acts of violence by Israelis after the game. However, the Amsterdam authorities had emphasized that this was no justification for the targeted violence against the Israelis.
