Pro-Palestinian Activists Urge Hotel to Remove Hapoel Be’er Sheva Ahead of AZ Match
Pro-Palestinian organisations have called on the Leonardo Hotel IJmuiden Seaport Beach to end its stay with Israeli football club Hapoel Be’er Sheva, according to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. The appeal circulated on social media on Thursday, with campaigners urging supporters to contact the hotel and local officials before the club’s match against AZ Alkmaar.
Hapoel Be’er Sheva’s players and accompanying delegation are staying in IJmuiden ahead of the fixture at Alkmaar’s AFAS Stadion. Several organisations, including Gooi 4 Gaza and Week 4 Palestine, have promoted a boycott campaign on Instagram, directing their criticism at both the hotel and Velsen mayor Frank Dales.
Social media campaign targets hotel and local officials
Posts shared by the groups include phone numbers and email addresses for people to use when contacting the hotel and municipal representatives. The campaign message urges people to “call them and demand a boycott,” framing the club’s accommodation arrangements as an issue that businesses and public officials should address.
The activists have described Hapoel Be’er Sheva as a “Zionist team” and used highly inflammatory language about its players. Those accusations are part of the campaign’s political messaging and should be understood as claims made by the organisations, rather than established descriptions of the individuals involved.
The dispute highlights how international political tensions can spill over into football, where clubs, players, hotels and host cities may become the focus of public pressure. The immediate question is whether the campaign will remain a social media protest or lead to further demonstrations around the team’s stay or match.
Police presence reported near the IJmuiden hotel
Police were visibly present around the Leonardo Hotel on Thursday morning, De Telegraaf reported. At one point, six police cars were in the car park near the Zuidpier in IJmuiden aan Zee. Two officers were also seen inside the hotel lobby.
A spokesperson for Velsen mayor Frank Dales told the newspaper that the officers were “not there on his orders.” The hotel, meanwhile, declined to discuss the Israeli delegation’s presence or its security arrangements. A receptionist also refused to provide information about the guests staying there before the match.
The reported police deployment does not, by itself, indicate that violence had occurred or that a specific threat had been confirmed. It does, however, reflect the heightened attention surrounding the visit and the need for authorities to consider the safety of hotel guests, staff, local residents and demonstrators.
Security measures in Alkmaar
Authorities in Alkmaar have also introduced measures linked to Hapoel Be’er Sheva’s visit. The city has imposed a ban on Israeli football fans being present, according to the report. The decision comes against the backdrop of disturbances surrounding the Ajax–Maccabi Tel Aviv match in November 2024, events that continue to influence security planning for fixtures involving Israeli clubs in the Netherlands.
Such restrictions are generally presented as preventive steps intended to reduce the risk of disorder. They can also affect supporters who have no connection to previous incidents, raising difficult questions about how cities balance public safety, individual rights and the ability to attend a sporting event. The specific conditions and enforcement of any local order are therefore important for fans to check through official channels.
What to watch ahead of AZ vs Hapoel Be’er Sheva
The match at AFAS Stadion is now taking place amid a wider debate about protest, security and the separation—or overlap—between sport and politics. For AZ, the focus will be on preparing for the contest and managing the atmosphere around the fixture. For Hapoel Be’er Sheva, the team’s travel and accommodation arrangements have become part of the public story before kick-off.
Supporters following the game should rely on updates from the clubs, the stadium and local authorities for information about access, transport, ticketing and any restrictions. Fans should avoid circulating unverified claims about security incidents or the people involved, particularly when online campaigns are using charged language and personal contact details.
Football prediction: a tense build-up, but the match remains undecided
Any football prediction for AZ against Hapoel Be’er Sheva should distinguish the off-field headlines from the sporting factors that decide a match. Home advantage, squad availability, recent form, tactical choices and the ability to handle pressure will all matter. The security measures and political attention may shape the atmosphere, but they do not determine the result on the pitch.
With the available information focused largely on the teams’ preparations and the surrounding controversy, a confident scoreline prediction would be premature. AZ will aim to use familiar surroundings and home support, while Hapoel Be’er Sheva will be looking to keep its attention on the football. The most cautious prediction is for a closely watched, high-pressure encounter in which composure and discipline could prove decisive.
The episode also underlines the broader challenge facing European football authorities: ensuring that matches remain safe and accessible while responding to political tensions that extend far beyond the stadium. As the fixture approaches, the attention of fans and officials will be on whether the event can proceed peacefully and allow the football itself to take centre stage.
