The treatment of the events in Amsterdam: a political and media disaster

On Thursday, November 7, violent incidents took place in Amsterdam on the sidelines of the football match between Ajax Amsterdam and Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC. The Israeli government having immediately reported “anti-Semitic attacks”, the term was without discussion relayed by the audiovisual media. On the political level, he was immediately taken up by the Dutch Prime Minister, elected by a coalition including the far right, and by several heads of state or foreign governments. As for President Macron, he adopted it implicitly by evoking “the most shameful hours of our history”.

What about the supposedly anti-Semitic nature of these acts? Four days later, no tangible evidence has been presented to support the assertion that Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC supporters were attacked because they were Jewish, nor that these attacks were premeditated as the Israeli Prime Minister claimed.

A completely different reality emerges through a series of testimonies and videos: the day before and the day of the match, these Israeli supporters violently attacked Dutch supporters, particularly if they were Arab. They had booed the minute of silence in tribute to the victims of floods in Spain (on the grounds that this country having recognized the State of Palestine would therefore be anti-Semitic), tore down Palestinian flags from the windows of houses, attacked taxi drivers of origin North African and repeatedly shouted violently racist anti-Arab slogans, as well as genocidal remarks, rejoicing that there were “no more children in Gaza”. They also reiterated these slogans on their return to Tel Aviv airport. For those who know the reputation of Maccabi Tel Aviv FC supporters, this is hardly surprising.

Astonishing, or rather mind-boggling, is the fact that hundreds of individuals can chant “death to the Arabs” in the streets of Amsterdam and that the only form of racism mentioned by the French political class and media is anti-Semitism.

We obviously do not admit violence between people, wherever it comes from. But we also do not accept that the French media and the political class of our country are thus propagating, without questioning, the Israeli discourse, which now turns out to be clearly lies.

The height of abjection goes to the Minister of the Interior, who boasts of having made a report to the courts against a member of parliament who had dared to question the official version. And what do we think of the MPs who also attacked their colleague on this point? Or who saw fit to evoke Anne Franck or “Kristallnacht” in connection with these incidents?

Several media outlets, particularly the written and online press, published versions more in line with reality the next day, but most audiovisual media persisted with the Israeli narrative. As for the President of the Republic, the Minister of the Interior, the many and numerous parliamentarians who have slavishly taken up the Israeli version, we have seen so far no correction or any regret on their part.

This political and media disaster should deeply question editorial management and elected officials about their responsibility in the face of the injunctions of the Israeli network of influence. This attitude actually encourages the genocidal war waged by the State of Israel against the Palestinian people. It causes very deep divisions in French society, which can no longer support this submission to the Israeli narrative.

As for the President of the Republic, by announcing that he will attend the France-Israel match scheduled for November 14, he is taking the risk of making the situation even worse. If his recent positions on the need for a ceasefire in the Middle East were nothing other than an announcement effect, he should have asked the government to cancel this match just like the “gala of shame” planned the day before in Paris in the presence of Israeli Minister Smotrich who displays his pride in being racist, fascist and homophobic.

Every day in Gaza as in Lebanon new massacres are committed. Sanctions are urgently needed to stop the genocidal war waged by Israel against the Palestinian population of Gaza. It is our common humanity that is threatened.

The AFPS National Office, November 12, 2024