Israel slams Dutch decision to ban Hapoel Be’er Sheva fans from soccer match due to ‘security concerns’

The Israeli Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the decision by a Dutch mayor to ban Israeli soccer fans from attending a match in the city of Alkmaar, citing security concerns.

According to Dutch news site Nieuwsuur, Alkmaar Mayor Anja Schouten upheld her decision to bar Hapoel Be’er Sheva F.C. fans from attending the match against local club AZ. Last week, she said the ban was intended to prevent public disorder in and around the city.

The decision came despite reports that Israeli Ambassador Zvi Aviner Vapni had phoned Schouten to ask that Israeli supporters be allowed to attend the match safely, “if necessary in limited numbers.”

“Two years after Israelis were hunted through the streets of Amsterdam, the Dutch answer is to ban the victims, not the attackers,” the foreign ministry stated on 𝕏, referring to a 2024 incident in which at least 10 Israeli soccer fans were injured after being attacked by Arab and Muslim gangs.

“Alkmaar’s exclusion of Hapoel Be’er Sheva fans rewards those who threaten and incite violence and runs counter to the very spirit of sport,” the ministry continued.

Hate is in the air. ​I planned to drive to Alkmaar to support Hapoel Be'er Sheva 🇮🇱⚽️, but all Israeli supporters were banned by the Municipality due to “very high risk.” ​When Hezbollah and Hamas cheerleaders are allowed to march and celebrate Oct 7th massacre, no wonder it's "high risk." Instead of stopping the extremists, they banned the fans. Stand against hate, not against football fans. ⚽🔴 @ISRAELFA @HBS_FC

— Avi Nir-Feldklein (@avraham_nir) October 13, 2026

“This exclusion of Israelis comes amid a wave of antisemitic attacks in the Netherlands, fueled by anti-Israel incitement from Dutch politicians and public figures. Banning Israeli fans from attending the match, like boycotting Eurovision, is yet another stain on the Netherlands, as the country increasingly becomes one of the world’s leading hotspots for antisemitism.”

Ahead of the match, pro-Palestinian organizations warned that “the arrival of hundreds of former IDF soldiers and supporters of genocide is unacceptable.”

“Hate is in the air,” said Israel’s ambassador to the European Union, Avi Nir-Feldklein. “​I planned to drive to Alkmaar to support Hapoel Be'er Sheva, but all Israeli supporters were banned by the Municipality due to ‘very high risk.’” ​

“When Hezbollah and Hamas cheerleaders are allowed to march and celebrate the October 7th massacre, no wonder it's ‘high risk.’ Instead of stopping the extremists, they banned the fans. Stand against hate, not against football fans,” he wrote on 𝕏.

Hapoel Be'er Sheva faced another related ban last month, when the mayor of the Belgian city of Leuven, Mohamed Ridouani, forced a match against Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise to be moved out of his city, also citing “security concerns.”

In response to that incident, a spokesperson for the Israeli Embassy in Belgium noted on 𝕏 that Hapoel Be'er Sheva “is an example of coexistence in Israeli football. The team includes three Arab-Israeli players: Muhammad Abu Rumi, Mohammed Kna’an and Zahi Ahmed. Politics should never be allowed to interfere with sports.”

A U.S.-based legal organization, the Lawfare Project, told Dutch News it might take legal action against the ban, arguing it is discriminatory as UEFA is rating Hapoel Be'er Sheva fans as posing a “medium risk.”

It also argued that, if security for the match cannot be guaranteed, nobody should be allowed to attend, rather than ban just one side.

Despite the ban, two demonstrations against the Israeli team are still planned to go ahead. Due to security concerns, Schouten ordered the protests, which were planned to be held in front of the stadium, to be moved to different locations.