A memorial service was held in Beijing for 11 Israeli athletes murdered in the 1972 Munich Olympic attack. The event was organized by officials in the Israeli embassy in tandem with the Israel Olympic Committee. The bereaved family members however are seeking official recognition by the International Olympic Committee, seeking to have the athletes recognized officially and future events be sponsored by the International Olympic Committee.
Several hundred people took part in the memorial, including Minister of Science, Culture & Sport Raleb Majadele.
The attack was carried out by terrorists tied to the Fatah organization, taking –place on Sept. 4, 1972, resulting in the deaths of 10 athletes and a coach. A German policeman was also killed in the botched rescue attempt by W. German police, along with the Israeli hostages.
The memorial has become a regular event, organized by Israel since the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Organizers and families of the victims are hopeful that by the 2012 games in London, the memorial will be held under the auspices of the International Olympic Committee but to date, Olympic officials have rejected any culpability regarding the deaths of the athletes – seemingly uninterested in sponsoring the memorial for the Israelis under the Olympic banner.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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9 Responses
The IOC would like nothing more than to forget about the Jews killed.
The ma’asah of Chanuka continues. Let’s not forget that the original olympic ‘games’ and Chanuka are related.
I dont know why the article relates the IOC holding a memorial with the IOC having culpability. I really dont see any culpability on the part of the Olympics, but a memorial is the least that the IOC should organize to pay tribute to, from their point of view, athletes who were murdered while involved with Olympic competition.
# 2 has a great point.
If you ask me, it would be disgusting if the IOC would recognize those jews killed.
The whole olympics started from the yevonim. Now how ironic would that be if those people would recognize the jewish people?? Never mind that those jewish athletes themselves weren’t ashamed to even join.
Doubtful that Muslim London will give two hoots to celebrate a memorial in honor of Jews killed during the Munich Olympics.
Hashem Yikom Damav. Remember, they were killed because they were Jews.
More details and Pictures:
http://www.shturem.net/index.php?section=news&id=28832&lang=hebrew
#4, Abi Meleibt. At this point you are taking two unrelated aspects of the Olympics and combining them to what they Olympics have become today. Jewish athletes should not be ashamed to compete because your concerns are as unrelated as a Jew should be ashamed for eating German chocolate cake.
#4, better yet, the Jewish athletes have no more a reason to be ashamed of participating in the Olympics today than a Jew should feel about entering the esteemed profession of accounting because they are working with arabic numerals as a way of life. You have no reason to be ashamed for bargaining and doing business with someone who may have Edomite ancestry or whatever. The athletes do not say they are going to participate with the yavanam, nor do you say you are looking for a deal or doing business with the yavanam, edomites, or amalekite.
Yes, there are shades of gray and a place to draw the line. But theoretical piety and taking a shot like that at the athletes, is not nice.