Israel pushes Netherlands to reverse ban on Hapoel Be'er Sheva fans ahead of Thursday's Europa League match
From the Newshound archive · first published 13 October 2026.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar has personally raised the ban with his Dutch counterpart Tom Berendsen, demanding that Hapoel Be'er Sheva supporters be allowed into AZ Alkmaar's stadium and that their safety be guaranteed inside and around the ground. The Israeli embassy in The Hague has held separate talks with Dutch police, while the Israel Football Association maintains close contact with authorities. The match is classified as "very high risk due to the geopolitical context" by Alkmaar city officials. Dutch authorities say the ban reflects fears of violence similar to the November 2024 Amsterdam attacks on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans after their Ajax game.
Alkmaar cited the 2024 Amsterdam pogrom against Maccabi Tel Aviv fans as the key reason for the ban.
Israel's MFA says it has been working to reverse the decision 'from the outset', before the city council ban was even formally announced.
Foreign Minister Sa'ar has vowed to continue pressing the Dutch government and Alkmaar's mayor until Israeli fans are permitted to attend.