Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof's cabinet avoided collapse following hours of crisis talks in response to the resignation of State Secretary for Finance Nora Achahbar, local media said.

Some politicians claimed some Dutch youths of Moroccan descent had attacked Israeli football fans in Amsterdam

AMSTERDAM: The Dutch cabinet met in emergency session on Friday amid reports the coalition could implode over the government's handling of violence la...

Cabinet members gathered on Friday for the regular weekly Council of Ministers meeting were forced to shift their focus from policy to the possibility that the precarious relationship between the four coalition parties has eroded beyond the point of no return. The leaders of the coalition parties PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB were asked to arrive at the same location for an emergency meeting set to begin at either 6 p.m. or 7 p.m.

There are concerns the unrest has damaged community relations and tensions have spilled over into politics too.

The attacks on Israeli football fans in Amsterdam last week and alleged racist statements in the Cabinet led to a crisis meeting of the Dutch government on Friday. Even though the resignation of NSC member Achahbar due to discriminatory remarks about Muslims by Cabinet members further shocked the government, it was still possible for Prime Minister Schoof and the reigning parties to avert the collapse of the shaky coalition.

The coalition’s deputy finance minister, who is of Moroccan descent, was expected to hand in her resignation.

An early end to the Cabinet has been averted for the time being. NSC State Secretary Nora Achahbar is stepping down, but the other NSC ministers are not following her, insiders report. The crisis that Achahbar's announcement unleashed on Friday has been averted after a day of feverish deliberation at the Catshuis.Shortly after the news leaked late Friday night, it emerged that the final decision would take a little longer after all. According to reports from The Hague, the NSC party members needed a little more time to reach a complete agreement.