The Dutch right-wing government’s move to investigate if people convicted of anti-Semitism can be regarded as terrorists and stripped of their Dutch nationality will discriminate against dual passport holders and increase polarisation, critics have said.

The far-right PVV, the pro-countryside BBB and the right-wing Liberal VVD all came out in favour of the idea during Wednesday’s debate on the football-related violence in Amsterdam, in which Israeli nationals were targeted. The fourth coalition party NSC has not yet given a concrete reaction to the plan.

Currently people can only be stripped of their Dutch nationality if they are convicted of terrorist offences or form a threat to national security.

But according to international treaties no one can be left stateless and therefore only people with dual nationality can have one nationality rescinded.

“This policy per definition would hit people who cannot avoid having dual nationality,” migration law professor Ricky van Oers told the NRC. In practice, it means only people with roots in countries such as Morocco, who cannot renounce their other nationality, would be affected.

There is no reason to group anti-Semitism under terrorism, Van Oers said. “There are plenty of ways that the normal legal process can be applied to tackle the problem without it becoming discriminatory.”

Anti-Semitism is not currently specified as a crime but the public prosecutor can investigate if it was a motive for a crime, and this can then result in a more serious punishment.

Jan Brouwer, an emeritus professor of jurisprudence, told Nieuwsuur that “If you look at the events in Amsterdam such a measure [to strip people of their Dutch nationality] would be completely disproportional”.

He also questioned a higher penalty for crimes in which discrimination plays a role, as proposed by CU leader Mirjam Bikker. “It is up to the judge to decide on appropriate punishment and that is how it should stay,” he said.

Saïd Bouharrou of the Muslims and Government liason organisation CMO said talk of taking away Dutch nationality will “solve nothing and only increase fear and polarisation.”

“There are millions of Muslims in the Netherlands who are doing fine and disapprove of antisemitism,” he told broadcaster NOS.

According to Maurits Berger, professor of Islam and the West “any anger against Israel or Israeli football hooligans is immediately put in an anti-Semitic framework”.

“There is definitely anti-Semitism but we need to distinguish between what people do, and who they are,” he said.

As yet it is unclear how many people were attacked in the wake of the Ajax Maccabi Tel Aviv football game, and how many were targetted because they were Israeli. Nor is it clear if the violence was organised.

Amsterdam mayor

Israeli Dutch political sociologist Hilla Dayan said she was particularly “shocked” by the criticism of Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema.

“The mayor and the local council did their utmost to manage the event. But I got the feeling that even the government turned on Amsterdam, and that populists were fanning the flames,” she told NOS. “That is a danger to the rule of law. Demonstrations are not the problem. Anti-Semitism, hate and violence will not disappear by limiting rights.”