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Israel has urged its citizens not to attend any cultural or sports events across the UK or Europe after violence erupted over the Middle East conflict in Amsterdam last week.
The Israeli government has discouraged its citizens from attending events such as the UK Jewish film festival, between November 10 and 17, and the UEFA League match between Israel and Paris on Thursday.
Israelis were also urged by Israel’s National Security Council to avoid identifying themselves as such.
In a statement, the council said: “In the past few days, there have been calls among pro-Palestinian/terrorist-supporter groups to harm Israelis and Jews.”
It claimed this was “under the pretence of demonstrations and protests” and warned: “Preparations to harm Israelis have been identified in several European cities, including Brussels, major cities in the UK, Amsterdam, and Paris.”
It comes after a match between Dutch team Ajax and Israel’s Maccabi Tel saw Israeli football fans clash with pro-Palestinian protesters in the Dutch capital on Thursday.
Five people were taken to hospital and 62 others detained, with videos on social media appearing to show men speaking Arabic before going on to assault two others.
Police also said earlier clashes saw a Palestinian flag being torn down and another set on fire.
Other online clips appear to show Israeli football fans shouting anti-Arab chants as they enter a metro station on Thursday, and then again on Friday when they received a police escort to the airport.
Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema said these attacks were carried out by “hit and run squads”.
Many of the details around what happened on Thursday remain unclear and the authorities are still investigating the series of events.
More than 50 people – chanting “free Palestine” and “Amsterdam says no to genocide” – were then removed by police at a demonstration on Sunday, having defied the authorities’ temporary ban on protests.
A UK government spokesperson told Sky News that they would “not allow cultural and sporting events to be hijacked by those who seek to promote hate”.
They added that there is “no place for antisemitism”, and that “police and security services continue to work to ensure the safety of every community in this country”.
Asked if there was any intelligence suggesting more antisemitic attacks in the UK, the prime minister’s spokesperson told journalists on Monday that while they “wouldn’t really comment on intelligence or reports around security”.
But, they added that the government would continue to “provide reassurance to Jewish and muslim communities who are concerned.”
They said: “Our police work night and day to ensure our communities are safe.
“It is appalling for anyone to be intimidated and to feel they can’t attend events. Our focus is ensuring and working with police and communities to ensure there are proper plans in place. Security will always be paramount.”
Meanwhile, Parisian police say that 4,000 officers will be deployed for the football match between France and Israel this week.
French President Emmanuel Macron will also be going to the game to send a “message of fraternity and solidarity after the intolerable acts of anti-semitism that followed the match in Amsterdam”.
Belgium has decided to host its national game against Israel in Hungary this month, because officials fear a “disproportionate risk” to fans’ safety due to the strong pro-Palestine sentiment in the country.
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