An explosion caused minor damage to a Jewish school in Amsterdam early on Saturday, an incident the city’s mayor has unequivocally condemned as “a deliberate attack against the Jewish community”.
The blast, which occurred at the school located in an upscale residential neighbourhood on the south side of the city, charred an outer wall and damaged a rainpipe. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Mayor Femke Halsema stated that the incident is being treated with the utmost seriousness and will result in increased security measures at Jewish institutions across Amsterdam.
“This is a cowardly act of aggression against the Jewish community,” Halsema declared. “Jewish people in Amsterdam are increasingly confronted with antisemitism. This is unacceptable.”
The school holds particular significance as the only institution specifically for orthodox Jews in the Netherlands, and it is already protected by a pointed, metal outer wall due to prior threats.
This event follows an overnight arson attack at a synagogue in central Rotterdam on Friday, which had already prompted heightened security at Jewish sites in the Dutch capital. In neighbouring Belgium, an explosion also caused a fire at a synagogue in Liege on Monday.
Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten described the Amsterdam attack as “horrible,” acknowledging that it understandably caused “fear and anger” within the Jewish community. He affirmed on X: “The safety of Jewish institutions has our full attention.”
Concerns about potential attacks against Jewish communities worldwide have escalated following recent US and Israeli actions against Iran and Tehran’s subsequent response.
