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The Amsterdam City Council voted Wednesday to reject sports clubs from countries “contributing to occupation or racism,” following a proposal by DENK Party council member Sheher Han.
The motion passed 42-9 and will be sent to sports organizations and football federations in the Netherlands.
The resolution specifically cites Israeli teams such as Beitar Jerusalem and Maccabi Tel Aviv, which the council says are associated with anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian behavior.
It declares that clubs established in illegal settlements, supporting unlawful occupations, or failing to act against extremist and racist fan groups are not welcome in Amsterdam.
Referencing a U.N. Human Rights Council statement from Oct. 3, 2024, the council urged FIFA to remove Israeli clubs active in illegal settlements from international tournaments.
The resolution follows incidents on Nov. 7, 2024, when Israeli fans reportedly removed Palestinian flags and attacked Arab taxi drivers during a UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Multiple arrests were made, and Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema had previously announced she would not invite Maccabi supporters back to the city.
Maccabi Tel Aviv is scheduled to compete in this year’s Europa League, and UEFA is expected to evaluate whether Israeli teams should be barred from tournaments due to their activities in Gaza.
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