Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten has said that the recent spate of antisemitic attacks have caused anger, fear, and a deep sense of intimidation within the Jewish community. “This fits into a broader pattern of rising antisemitism in the Netherlands,” he stated.
Jetten made the comments following a meeting with representatives of the Jewish community. He faced criticism from within the community over his delayed response to the attacks.
“There has been a series of terribly cowardly attacks on the Jewish community in the past few days,” Jetten said, addressing the extra security measures put in place in response.
While a possible link to Iran “cannot be ruled out,” the Prime Minister emphasised that investigations are ongoing. He sees the antisemitic incidents as part of a wider trend. “In recent years, antisemitism in the Netherlands has been increasing, partly because conflicts in Israel and Gaza, and now the situation in Iran, are being imported into Dutch society.”
Jetten also noted that “within certain communities, very ugly things are being said about the Jewish community. These are partly religious communities that stand in opposition to Jewish communities.”
Two priorities emerged from the discussion: ensuring more reports of antisemitic incidents are made and taken seriously, and placing a strong emphasis on education. “We must tackle antisemitism at its root,” Jetten said. The previous government also introduced an antisemitism strategy, but it had limited effect.
Two attacks on Jewish institutions occurred in the Netherlands: an explosive device detonated at a synagogue in Rotterdam, followed by another device exploding at the Jewish school Cheider in Amsterdam’s Buitenveldert district.
Justice Minister David van Wee, who oversees antisemitism within his portfolio, described the attacks as “an assault on the Jewish community.”
Police and intelligence services are investigating both attacks, while security around synagogues and other Jewish institutions has been heightened nationwide amid fears of further incidents.
