An explosion caused minor damage to a Jewish school in Amsterdam early Saturday morning, which the city’s mayor described as “a targeted attack against the Jewish community.” The blast occurred in an upscale residential neighborhood in the southern part of the city. Mayor Femke Halsema stated in a press release that the damage was limited and that police and firefighters responded swiftly. No injuries have been reported.
An investigation has been launched, as this incident follows recent nighttime assaults outside synagogues in Liège, Belgium, and Rotterdam, Netherlands. After an arson attack at a Rotterdam synagogue on Friday, security measures at Jewish sites in Amsterdam had already been increased.
In Belgium, a synagogue in Liège was set on fire following an explosion earlier this week. Halsema condemned the act, calling it “a cowardly attack on the Jewish community,” and noted that police possess CCTV footage of a suspect placing the explosive device.
She emphasized that antisemitism is increasingly confronting Jews in Amsterdam, calling such acts unacceptable. Rising concerns about potential attacks on Jewish communities worldwide follow recent escalations between the US, Israel, and Iran, and Iran’s retaliatory response.
