Arrest of a boy and injury of Israeli tourists in a brawl at a holiday resort
A 15-year-old boy has been arrested after a violent brawl at a holiday resort in North Brabant province that resulted in injuries to several Israeli tourists. The incident occurred at the Center Parcs resort in Westerhoven, where police said a dispute during a game of 'paintball' escalated into a serious fight.
According to the authorities, a dispute broke out between two groups – one from the city of Maarsen in Utrecht and the other from Israeli tourists – after a disagreement over the rules of the game. The argument quickly escalated into a physical altercation in which both sides exchanged 'violent punches' and threats, according to the police.
During the fight, two Israeli men aged 37 and 41 were injured, one of them seriously in the head. The injured received treatment from the ambulance crew at the scene. The teenager from Ma'arsen was arrested on charges of assault and attempted serious assault, while the police opened an investigation into the incident.
The incident comes amid rising tensions concerning Israeli visitors in the Netherlands. Earlier this week, reports emerged that pro-Palestinian activists secretly filmed Israeli tourists at another Center Parcs resort in Zeewolde and then posted the footage online.
The CIDI (Center for Information and Documentation on Israel) Dutch-Israeli organization stated that it intends to file a complaint with the police against these activists on charges of incitement to hatred. Investigations into both incidents are still ongoing.