Screenshot of BBC's Israel Olympics page, which notes Jerusalem as Israel's "Seat of Government". Photo: screenshot.

It would be nice if the world of sport and politics were distinct, yet history is replete with political events that render the noble intent of the Olympic movement moot. Arguably the most heinous of such events was the 1972 slaughter of 11 Israeli participants at the Olympic games in Munich.  Jews and many of their supporters attempt at each Olympiad, to will the Olympic Committee to formally remember this massacre because such memories remind us to be mindful of the deterrent, but so far to no avail.

This year politics are no exception as the BBC, on behalf of its host government Britain, chose to exclusively distinguish Israel from all other nations listed on its Olympic games web site, by dubiously denying it a capital city. To add insult to injury, the ‘Beeb’ unanimously awarded Israel’s designated capital Jerusalem to the Palestinian Authority, assigning Palestine the status of a country with East Jerusalem its capital. What skin is it off Britain’s nose that the BBC award Israel a capital?

I wonder how much time was spent debating the issue at Britain’s Department of Foreign Affairs before tactically making this controversial statement, providing fodder for the opening of the 2012 Olympic games. Obviously the sentiment being expressed by the BBC is reflective of Britain’s attitude, after-all the BBC is a semi-autonomous public service operating under a Royal Charter and a Licence and Agreement from the Home Secretary. Its work is funded by an annual fee, which is charged to all British households, companies and organisations and is set annually by the British Government and agreed by Parliament. So why don’t they just fix it?

I won’t take much time recalling history, but let me point you to the 1947 British parliamentary record on Israel and Palestine in which the full debate is disclosed;

The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Ernest Bevin) “The Jews set about colonising and there is no doubt that, in the sphere they have developed, they have carried out some very great experiments. Many of the Arabs, as I shall explain later, are involved in those developments, such as citrus growing, which is vital to the economy of Palestine. As far as Jewish development is concerned, everybody in this country, who has been associated with the affair, certainly up to 1931, assumed that it was a National Home for the Jews about which we were talking. I want to remind the House, however, that that is not the issue now.”

Britain changed their mind and the BBC is still trying to deny it! Britain’s weakness provides an ongoing basis for political justification by terrorists who make Israel their scapegoat. Britain and its BBC echo perpetuate the state of confusion and the blood of the 1972 massacre is on their hands. After 1931, every effort made by Britain to rectify their deserting the Jews is a continuing blight brought about by their terrible change of heart. That change of heart ultimately enabled Hitler to invade Europe and slaughter six million Jews who otherwise would have been relocated to Israel during the lead up to the Second World War.

I implore you to study carefully this awful moment in history and to learn how bad it was that Britain simply changed its mind, abandoning their promise to the Jews, knowingly throwing them into the fiery pit. The very same British denial allowed Hitler to rise to power almost unchecked, a British ‘spot of bother’ from which Winston Churchill had to extricate his people. There is no doubt this sad moment in history has caused much anguish in the world, yet the same characteristic that plagued British leaders then continues today. Denial is a dangerous character flaw especially in the hands of powerful governments who deal life or death.

It’s time for Britain to own up to its mistake and in doing so to support Israel with Jerusalem as its capital.