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Israel demands Dutch reversal of ban on Be'er Sheva fans ahead of Europa League match in Alkmaar

From the Newshound archive · first published 12 October 2026.

Gideon Sa'ar has raised the Hapoel Be'er Sheva fan ban directly with his Dutch counterpart, calling for supporters to be admitted and their safety guaranteed.
Gideon Sa'ar has raised the Hapoel Be'er Sheva fan ban directly with his Dutch counterpart, calling for supporters to be admitted and their safety guaranteed.

Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar has personally confronted his Dutch counterpart Tom Berendsen over the Netherlands' ban on Hapoel Be'er Sheva supporters attending Thursday's UEFA Europa League match against AZ Alkmaar. The city of Alkmaar classified the fixture as "very high risk due to the geopolitical context," warning of potential violent confrontations between Israeli fans and protesters.

Dutch authorities cited the November 2024 Amsterdam pogrom — when Israeli Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were violently attacked following an Ajax Europa League match — as the reason for the ban.

Israel's embassy in The Hague has held direct talks with Dutch police, while the Foreign Ministry is pressing the Alkmaar municipality to guarantee fan safety inside and around the stadium.

Israel insists its fans must be allowed to attend and their security guaranteed — with Sa'ar vowing to keep pushing Dutch authorities before Thursday's kickoff.

MoreJewish NewsIsrael demands Dutch U-turn over ban on Israeli football fansAlgemeiner.comIsrael Urges Netherlands to Reverse Ban Again Israeli Soccer Fans for Upcoming Europa League Match - Algemeiner.comIsrael National NewsIsrael pushes Netherlands to let Be’er Sheva fans attend Europa League matchThe Times of IsraelNetherlands bans Israeli soccer fans from attending Europa League match; Israel demands reversal - The Times of Israel
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