The mayor calls the explosion at the Amsterdam Jewish school “a deliberate attack.”

The mayor of the Dutch city declared that an explosion at a Jewish school in Amsterdam was a “deliberate attack against the Jewish community”.

Femke Halsema stated that the school’s exterior wall in the Buitenveldert district sustained only little damage as a result of the nocturnal explosion. There were no reported injuries. This is a cowardly act of aggression towards the Jewish community,” the mayor said, adding that Amsterdam “must be a place where Jews can live safely”. Prime Minister Rob Jetten said “there must be no place for antisemitism” in the Netherlands.

Security had already been stepped up at Jewish institutions, after a suspected arson attack on a synagogue in Rotterdam on Friday. Following the explosion at the school, police and firefighters were promptly sent to the scene.  Additionally, they stated that authorities were looking at CCTV footage that purportedly showed someone setting off explosives. 

Halsema expressed her understanding of “the fear and anger of Jewish Amsterdammers” who are “increasingly confronted with antisemitism” following the explosion. Police have not yet made any public remarks regarding the attack’s potential motivations, although an investigation is underway.The Israeli foreign ministry declared later on Saturday that “an antisemitism epidemic is raging in the Netherlands.” 

The ministry referenced “the pogrom against Israelis in Amsterdam in November 2024″—a reference to an attack on Israeli football supporters in the Dutch capital—as well as the recent attacks in Rotterdam and Amsterdam in its statement.

“Where will the next attack be? The Dutch government needs to do much more to fight antisemitism,” the Israeli statement added. In recent days, there have been concerns that Jewish and US communities around the world could be targeted, following joint Israeli-US strikes against Iran.