The involvement of Muslim Uber drivers in the attack on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans in Amsterdam has resurfaced a longstanding problem facing Jews and Israelis worldwide since October 7, with Israelis and Jews increasingly being targeted.
It's known that Israelis traveling abroad often change their names on ride-hailing apps to more international names, especially when they notice that the driver assigned to them has a Muslim name. From New York to Berlin, many drivers on these apps are Muslim immigrants, and as a result, many Israelis are now reluctant to ride with drivers who appear to be of Muslim background.
This fear of ride-hailing services is not limited to Israelis alone; Jews around the world also share similar concerns. YWN (Yeshiva World News) issued calls over the past weekend to boycott Uber, citing the attacks on Israeli fans by drivers affiliated with the company, some of whom even transported passengers to pre-planned ambushes.
The initiative encourages Jewish passengers to switch to other companies, such as Lyft, until Uber responds to the events in Amsterdam.
Tonight (Saturday evening), events are set to take place across Europe commemorating Kristallnacht. There are concerns that taxi drivers might again target Jewish passengers, viewing them as vulnerable when they enter their cabs.
The Dutch press reported last night that over the past year, some taxi drivers in Amsterdam have refused to pick up passengers with Jewish or Israeli names. Furthermore, some Jewish passengers who changed their names in the app still experience verbal abuse, curses, and, since October 7, even violent assaults by North African drivers.
