Dutch police on Saturday said they were investigating reports of an explosion overnight at the Israel Centre in the town of Nijkerk.
There were no reports of injuries and the damage at the site. The building houses the organization Christenen voor Israël which describes the site as “a meeting place for Christians with a heart for Israel.” The center hosts exhibitions, lectures and a shop with Israeli products.
“Around 11:30 p.m., we received a report of an explosion on Henri Nouwenstraat in Nijkerk. No one was injured. The damage appears limited for now. We are, of course, continuing our investigation,” police said. Police cordoned off the area and are asking witnesses to come forward.
Authorities are investigating amid a series of recent explosions involving Jewish-related sites.
Update:
Following the blast at the Israel Centre, the Iran-linked front group Harakat Ashab Al-Yamin Al-Islamiya (HAYI), meaning the ”Islamic Movement of the People of the Right Hand”, issued a statement warning people to avoid American and Zionist interests. The group said that two Netherlands-based institutions – the Israel Products Center and Christians for Israel – ”promote Christian Zionism and support Israel economically through the sale of Israeli goods.”
The message accuses these institutions of providing financial and moral backing to Israel. Ashab al-Yamin also invokes religious arguments, claiming historical Jewish responsibility for the crucifixion of Jesus in an effort to discourage Christian support for Zionism.
The Islamist group has claimed responsibility for similar night-time attacks in Belgium, Britain and the Netherlands.
This time the group also posted an online video about the explosion but unlike previous clips, the footage did not show the attack itself but featured online photos of the building and a threat against Israeli supporters.
In a post on X, Israel’s ambassador to the Netherlands, Zvi Vapni wrote; ”First Jews were intmidated and attacked in the Netherlands. Now Christians who support Israel are being targeted too. This explosion at the Christenen voor Israel center in Nijkerk is not an isolated incident: these criminals must be captured.”