Dutch community rallies to rescue Israeli fans after violent attacks in Amsterdam

When an appeal went out on Israeli WhatsApp groups asking for help transporting stranded fans from their hotels to Amsterdam airport, British-born Israeli, Ben Myers, and his wife leapt into action.

Myers saw the message on his wife’s volleyball group chat: “It was all organised and managed by Dutch Jewish and Israeli women through a volleyball club WhatsApp group,” he told the JC.

Myers did not hear about the attack until Friday morning: “I woke up to messages from friends in Israel worried about my safety in Amsterdam – the irony of people fighting a war on multiple fronts seeing if I am OK.”

“A call was put out this morning saying that there were Israelis staying at hotels and safe houses who needed help getting to the airport. My wife did the first shift,” the father-of-two explained, adding that by the time his wife returned, all the supporters had been taken safely to the airport.

Myers said that dozens more people arrived to help with the rescue effort than was needed: “It was very comforting to see the rallying around of the Jewish and Israeli community. It’s a small community, everyone knows each other.”

In response to the violent attack in Amsterdam, El Al organised special rescue flights to Tel Aviv flying on Shabbat and granted permission by Israel’s Chief Rabbis.

Most of the Israelis who had been at the game were young men in their early twenties, according to Myers, who added “It was a bit chaotic, and the people who were picked up were in shock.”

Later, he tweeted “Picking up and taking some random stranded Israelis to the airport because of antisemitic pogroms was not on my 'Things To Do In Amsterdam in 2024' list.

“Right now, there is a little Dunkirk-esque armada of Dutch Jews and Israelis living in NL scrabbling to pick up Israelis from hotels and 'safe houses' to take them to the airport. Madness.”

Chabad in Amsterdam were also part of the rescue effort, with Lubavitch emissaries providing support and shelter to Jews in Amsterdam.

Myers moved to the Netherlands from Israel two years ago and the family hoped for a better life without the threat of war. But before the attacks, he noticed a growing anti-Israel sentiment on the streets of Amsterdam and kept his sons, aged seven and ten, away from parts of the city.

“I moved my Israeli boys here for a better life, but where we live now [in a small village outside of the city] is a little bubble, we keep the kids away from Amsterdam.”

He decided to shield his younger son from the news of the football attack, but he spoke to his ten-year-old, explaining that “some people don’t like Maccabi Tel Aviv fans and were looking to start trouble.”

It brought back memories of explaining rocket attacks to his children. “I’ve had to do this before,” he said, “telling him why we had to hide in shelters while in Israel.”

A lifelong Tottenham fan, Myers made aliyah from the UK in 2009. “If you cut me, I bleed Zionism,” he said proudly.

While familiar with football hooliganism, Myers insisted this attack was different. “I’ve been to Spurs home and away matches - taking down flags and chanting is part of the experience - but it doesn’t justify what happened in Amsterdam,” he noted.

He believes the rise in antisemitism in Amsterdam played a role in the attack. “There was always going to be trouble. There are people here who don’t like Jews or Israelis,” he said.

Myers added that he was confident that Geert Wilders and his far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) would deal with the attackers. However, he voiced concerns about Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema, who condemned the “black night” of violence, but whom Wilders has called on to resign.

“Generally, I love the Netherlands. But this is going to be a big test of whether they will keep the Jewish community or not.”