5 convicted in the Netherlands over violence against Israeli soccer fans
CBS
Dutch Court Jails Four Over Amsterdam Soccer Violence
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Above: Maccabi Tel Aviv fans stage a pro-Israel demonstration at Dam Square on Nov. 7, 2024, ahead of the UEFA Europa League match against Ajax in Amsterdam. Image copyright: Mouneb Taim/Contributor/Anadolu via Getty Images
The Facts
A district court in Amsterdam has sentenced four men to jail terms of up to six months and a fifth defendant to community service under the country's juvenile law for their role in hit-and-run attacks against Israeli soccer fans in early November.
Three men were found guilty of acts of violence, while two were found guilty of aiding and abetting the attacks as they shared locations and flight information of some Israeli fans in a hundreds-strong WhatsApp group.
The Spin
Pro-Israel narrative
While it's good to see that authorities in the Netherlands were quick to impose prison sentences on people behind the Jew hunt in Amsterdam, it's concerning that this comes at the expense of adequate punishment for the prosecuted offenses. After all, this sentencing does little to deter further similar abhorrent actions.
Pro-Palestine narrative
Regardless of the picture that Israel and mainstream media had sought to paint over the incidents in Amsterdam, the truth is that it has never been an antisemitic pogrom as they claimed — but rather a regrettable episode of violence in which both sides were to blame. Hopefully, everyone involved in the unrest will be held accountable for their actions.
