Olympic Committee VP: Fear of Arab Boycott Led to Minute of Silence Rejection
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1972 Munich IOC israel Israel Athletes Israel Minute of Silence Israel News Israel Olympics Jacques Rogge Jewish Jewish News Jews Olympic Committee Olympic Minute of Silence
Opening Ceremony from 2000 Summer Games in Sydney, Australia. Photo: wiki commons.
As the 2012 Summer Olympics approach, it’s becoming ever more certain that calls for a minute of silence during the opening ceremony on July 27th to mark the 40 year anniversary of the murders of 11 Israeli team members at the 1972 Games, will be rejected.
According to an interview given by Thomas Bach, the Vice President of the International Olympic Committee, the threats to boycott the opening ceremony made by Arab states in the event of an official minute of silence, have led the IOC to mark the 40 year anniversary in other ways, including a minute of silence on Monday inside the Olympic Village, led by IOC President Jacques Rogge.
The Arab boycott “had been a possibility, according to some of our advice”, Bach said according to Israel’s Channel 2 news.
The push to hold a minute of silence during the opening ceremony in London began with Ankie Spitzer – the widow of an Israeli delegate killed in Munich by Palestinian terrorists – and has been championed by world leaders ranging from President Obama to German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle.
Other lawmakers from the United States and Canada were also active in pushing for the minute of silence.
Back in May, IOC President Jacques Rogge publicly stated the opening ceremony would not include a minute of silence, while stating “within the Olympic family, the memory of the victims of the terrible massacre in Munich in 1972 will never fade away.”
Moments of silence have been held at previous Olympic ceremonies, including one remembering the victims of the 9/11 attack at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.
8:51 am
The same criticism should be levied towards Sepp Blatter and his FIFA crew who have had Israel compete for the World Cup in the Europe division and not in Africa/Asia where, not surprisingly, all of Israel’s neighbors compete. Funny how Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria all play in Africa/Asia but the one country who shares borders with all 4 plays in Europe. Because, sheesh, we can’t possibly run a world tournament in peace when Jews share the field with Arabs.
Funny how Euro society blames Israel for a lack of peace on the planet and refuses to criticize itself.
Stay classy, World.
8:51 am
The same criticism should be levied towards Sepp Blatter and his FIFA crew who have had Israel compete for the World Cup in the Europe division and not in Africa/Asia where, not surprisingly, all of Israel’s neighbors compete. Funny how Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria all play in Africa/Asia but the one country who shares borders with all 4 plays in Europe. Because, sheesh, we can’t possibly run a world tournament in peace when Jews share the field with Arabs.
Funny how Euro society blames Israel for a lack of peace on the planet and refuses to criticize itself.
Stay classy, World.
4:38 am
Here go the Arabs again. Stamping their feet and holding their breath because there is something they don’t like. If these Arabs want to have a 1 minute silence for the murderers then let them go somewhere quiet and silence away, but the rest of the civilised world would like to stand still and quiet for those innocent Athletes MURDERED for Islam, SO WHY DO YOU NOT SHUT UP FOR ONCE AND LET THE CIVILISED PEOPLE GET ON WITH THEIR LIVES AND RESPECT OUR FREEDOM ANG RIGHTS. Just because the Arabs/Islam do not want to respect others freedoms don’t expect us to bow down to your level every time you throw your dummies out your prams. PUT UP AND SHUT UP FOR ONCE>>>>Shalom
3:19 am
IF it was the other way around I wonder who would be squealing?
10:23 pm
The IOC supported the banning of MARTY GLICKMAN and SAM STOLLER from the 1936 US team because they were Jewish. Antisemitism is foundational to the IOC. 2012 is the same as 1936..
German and Muslim antisemitism are identical…and the IOC is just as antisemitic!-
10:23 pm
Good decision.
5:58 pm
What decision was right….not to have the moment of silence…..are you pro islam or just an anti semetic…
9:33 pm
The Nobel Prize for Peace was contaminated by a series of disgusting awardees (Arafat, Carter, Obama). The Olympics has been on that same path, the latest contaminant being the putrid refusal to memorialize the loss of the Israelis. To Hell with the Nobel Prize Committee, to Hell with the Olympic Committee, and to Hell with the stinking anti-semites who contaminate the Earth with their very existence!
12:47 am
YEP I AGREE –
7:54 am
Stuart Kaufman,
Your criticism is way too mild. This is why there will never be a “palestinian’ state next door to Israel. The antisemites are waiting for the right moment to provide the ‘badly invented people’ with WMD that will allow them to destroy the Jewish State.
10:30 pm
Agreed, the noble prize has always been politicized – the British keep Mahatma Gandhi from getting it every time he was nominated. Could anyone else have been more deserving back in the day?
8:07 pm
Who cares if the Arab states boycott the opening ceremony? They are free to do so if they desire. Boycott away and enjoy! But let that not stop the IOC from doing what is right. This should not even be considered political. This is about honoring innocent olympians murdered in cold blood by terrorists who were also Arabs. If the Arab states have a problem with memorializing the death of olympic athletes who were also Israeli then clearly and unequivocally they are supporting and justifying terrorism and murder. On top of that, even though Palestinians terrorists were responsible for the Munich massacre it has not even been brought up to ban Palestine from participating in the Olympics altogether. That has not even been a conversation and although I believe that would also not be fair that sounds like a more rational conversation to have than the IOC worrying about Arab states boycotting the opening ceremony for one year of an international event that has been going on in modern times since the 1800′s. The Olympians were murdered on the watch of the IOC for no reason except for being Israeli Jews. SHOW SOME RESPECT IOC!!! FORGET THE POLITICS AND DON’T BE AFRAID TO DO WHAT’S RIGHT.