AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
The Dutch government says it's doing everything possible to protect its Jewish population, following attacks against Israeli soccer fans last week. But as Teri Schultz reports, tensions continue in the Netherlands as pro-Palestinian activists say they are being unfairly blamed for the violence.
TERI SCHULTZ, BYLINE: Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof has canceled his participation in the U.N. climate conference in Azerbaijan to stay home and deal with the aftermath of last Thursday's attacks on Israeli soccer supporters. Schoof met Saturday with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar after earlier talks with Jewish residents. He says in a social media post that his government is, quote, "doing everything to ensure that the Jewish community in this country feels safe." They've got some work to do on that. One woman we spoke with, Judy, was afraid to give her last name for fear of being targeted.
JUDY: As a Jew living in Amsterdam, it's a very lonely and isolating time.
SCHULTZ: Judy says her husband offered to drive Israeli soccer supporters to the airport after the attacks because they were afraid to take taxis. She says the current environment is worrisome.
JUDY: Not really sure why there's such deep-seated hatred. It's difficult to understand antisemitism, but it's for sure the factor that led to where we are today in Amsterdam - that and media bias, weak politicians, the allowance of protests with hate messages, antisemitic slogans.
SCHULTZ: While Amsterdam officials emphasize that nothing justifies the targeted attacks on Jewish soccer fans, the police chief confirmed that they had taken provocative actions themselves, including shouting support for the killing of residents in Gaza and burning a Palestinian flag. Nadia Slimi, who regularly attends pro-Palestinian demonstrations, says she would like the same concern to be shown to people on this side as was given to the visiting soccer fans, many of whom she says were hooligans who should not have been allowed in.
NADIA SLIMI: (Non-English language spoken).
SCHULTZ: "Right at the moment where we do something wrong," she says, "demonstrators are being pulled by their hair and being arrested and jailed and even dropped far out of the city. But these people get escorted into buses to their hotels. We're talking about a massive double standard." On Saturday, pro-Palestinian activists held a march in Utrecht, as demonstrations are banned in Amsterdam through the weekend as a result of the violence.
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UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTER: From the river to the sea...
SCHULTZ: The government will discuss next steps at a cabinet meeting Monday.
For NPR News, I'm Teri Schultz. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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