In spite of the growing calls for a moment of silence in honor of the 11 Israelis murdered by Palestinian terrorists at the 1972 Munich Olympics, the head of the International Olympic Committee said yesterday that he would not alter his determination to refuse to allow the issue to intrude upon the opening ceremonies of the London Games this Friday. Jacques Rogge said yesterday that it “was not fit” for a commemoration of Munich to be included in the gala start to the global athletic extravaganza.
This week, President Obama added his voice to those already calling for a moment of silence at the ceremony. Perhaps even more importantly, Bob Costas, NBC television’s Olympic host, has said that he will impose his own moment of silence on the coverage of the event when the Israeli team enters the stadium:
“I intend to note that the IOC denied the request,” Costas said. “Many people find that denial more than puzzling but insensitive. Here’s a minute of silence right now.”
Costas deserves great deal of credit for not allowing the IOC’s desire to keep the memory of Munich out of sight during the games (Rogge said he will attend a ceremony honoring the Munich victims in Germany next week). But while he finds the refusal to simply devote one minute to remembrance “puzzling,” there is no mystery about it. Rogge has called requests for such a memorial “political.” While there is nothing political about recalling the terrorist attack, by that he means that many of the participating nations are not comfortable highlighting a crime committed by Palestinians or honoring the memory of Israeli Jews. As historian Deborah Lipstadt wrote this past week, the controversy is more proof that in the eyes of the world, spilled Jewish blood remains a cheap commodity.
The symbolism of a moment of silence for the victims of the Munich crime is important because it again reminds us that the rhetoric about brotherhood and peace that is endlessly spouted during the two-week-long Olympics show is empty talk. As Lipstadt notes, no one could possibly doubt that if there were ever an assault on Western or Third World athletes and coaches at the Olympics, the tragedy would always be prominently remembered at opening ceremonies. The only thing preventing Rogge from acquiescing to what would seem to be a simple and easily satisfied request is that doing so would confer legitimacy on Israel’s presence at the Olympics that most of the world would rather not acknowledge. Nor are many of the nations whose flags will be paraded on Friday night happy about even a second being spent about Jewish victims of Palestinian terror. After all, doing so would be implicitly remind the world that Israel remains the one nation on the planet that is marked for extinction by the hatred of many of its neighbors.
While we think Costas’ stand on the moment of silence has added another reason to consider him one of the most thoughtful voices on television, the IOC’s ongoing refusal ought to give the rest of us a reason to skip the globaloney fest altogether.
"After all, doing so would be implicitly remind the world that Israel remains the one nation on the planet that is marked for extinction by the hatred of many of its neighbors." nAnd the one nation on the planet that guarantees refuge to Jews fleeing countries where they risk being murdered solely for the crime of being Jews. And a reminder the even in the supposedly tolerant west, there are a lot more of those countries than we wish to admit. n
It seems Emerson's aphorism about foolish consistency applies here, even after the passage of 40 years. Here are four paragraphs from the New York Times column by Red Smith, who was reporting on the Games on the day of the massacre: n"… It was 4:30 a.m. when Palestinian terrorists invaded the housing complex where athletes from 12 nations live, and shot their way into the Israeli quarters. n"More than five hours later, word came down from Avery Brundage, retiring president of the International Olympic Committee, that sport would proceed as scheduled. Canoe racing had already begun. Wrestling started an hour later. Before long competition was held in 11 of the 22 sports on the Olympic calendar. n"Not until 4 p.m. did some belated sense of decency dictate suspension of the obscene activity, and even then exception was made for games already in progress. They went on and on while hasty plans were made for a memorial service. n"The men who run the Olympics are not evil men. Their shocking lack of awareness cannot be due to callousness. It has to be stupidity. …"
Excellent article and comment. "The men who run the Olympics are not evil men." I frankly don't agree with that. What defines 'evil'? Exactly the way the Olympics Committee behaves. It started, for me, in 1936, with the holding of the Olympics in Nazi Berlin. Since then the Olympics has been a degrading evil spectacle of stupidity in my eyes. Its nothing more than the UN in sneakers.
I take your point. I would say people who are not evil can do evil, or can commit evil. The difference is only academic, and to the victims of the evil, no difference at all. I would prefer to think that Rogge, if confronted with an accusation of anti-Semitism, would heatedly deny he is anti-Semtic, and profess sympathy with the historical suffering of the Jewish people — which is all the more reason he should be confronted — to make him see the kind of people with whom he is aligning himself.
"terrorist Palestinians"? Further evidence of how the NYT has regressed, since such a term would now be substituted for the Orwellian term "Palestinian militants".
Lachrymose history. Poor us! Just an excuse for more hasbara.
Can this be due to anything other than Arab political influence?
It's interesting the the IOC was unaffected by the murders in Bulgaria that took place on the anniversary of murders in Buenos Aires. The IOC, like most of the world, doesn't understand the seriousness of anti-Israel hatred, the most powerful political force on earth. nAnti-Zionism doesn't only threaten Israel; it threatens the world. Similarly, Hitler's anti-Semitism did not only kill Jews but was probably the major factor in leading Hitler to try to conquer all of Europe in order to kill its Jews.
All the lofty talk of sportsmanship, fair play and universal brotherhood in the international Olympic movement is empty of meaning. n nWhat would one expect of the likes of Jacques Rogge? n nHe's a political hack and an anti-Semite to boot. If it was up to me, Israel would not be going to the London Games at all.
Just to add a note of strong concordance with Tobin: Costas deserves our gratitude and the credit Tobin speaks of. If anti Seimitism doesn't underlie the IOC's refusal, then up and down are no longer up and down.
If Costas goes through with this and isnt silenced by his bosses i will be surprised.
"All the lofty talk of sportsmanship, fair play and universal brotherhood in the international Olympic movement is empty of meaning." nGoogle the term "Bensky Corrollary." Does anyone doubt there would be a memorial, replete with invocations of the brotherhood of sportsmen and the Olymic Ideal, it it had been the third string badminton team from Outer Slobovia who were murdered in the Olympic Village?
The Olympic Games in Munich in 1972 were supposed to be cancelled if an act of war occurred during them. In fact, the Olympic Games are not supposed to be held if there is a war going on. See the original rules for the ancient Olympic games and also the modern ones,
Yes, Munich was a crime and an illustration of German incompetence. What purpose, though, would a commemoration serve other than to juice up the Likud agenda and to ratify the ongoing crimes of the occupation? n nEnough with rubbing the world's nose in lachrymose commemoration.
What "occupation" are you talking about? Your vocabulary illuminates your prejudice.
Old trolls never die. nMore's the pity.
the "occupation" issue is totally misunderstood by the vast majority of people who rely on propaganda instead of facts. nno crimes have been proven in the disputed territories. nAnd besides what about the crimes committed against jews expelled from their homelands.? ncommemoration of the terror attacks would show the world that the ioc has the balls and the courage to remember the most tragic event in the history of the games, committed by palestinian terrorists. n
I always watch the Olympics, but I am going to skip it this year. I have no interest in giving even one minute of my time to it, as they could not spare one minute to honor the Israelis who were savagely murdered.
Look, how can the IOC/UN honor such a reasonable request when they hold the perpetrators of the attack and cold blooded murder of The Israeli Olympic athletes at Munich, The PA/Hamas to a higher esteem than Israel or the Jews. They are pro Abbas, the guy who funded the massacre. I am surprised they are not denying that it ever occured. If they could somehow deny it or blame it on Israel they would. I’m sure they plan to do just that later on. It is just too early, too many people were alive during that time, but give it fifty years.
It was not merely “Palestinians” who massacred The Israeli Athletes, but those who represent The Palestinians in their bid for statehood and for that reason The IOC cannot possibly participate denigrating President Abbas of “Palestine”, the country which is “destined” to replace Israel, according to their mentality.
The following are Abbas’s and other Fatah leaders’ words honoring terrorist Muhammad Daoud Oudeh, as reported in the Palestinian media:
The official PA daily:
Headline: “The President [Abbas] expresses condolences over the death of the fighters Muhammad Oudeh and Ja’afar Shadid…”
“President Mahmoud Abbas sent a telegram of condolences yesterday over the death of the great fighter Muhammad Daoud Oudeh, ‘Abu Daoud,’ who died just before reaching 70. The telegram of condolences read: ‘The deceased was one of the prominent leaders of the Fatah movement and lived a life filled with the struggle, devoted effort, and the enormous sacrifice of the deceased for the sake of the legitimate problem of his people, in many spheres. He was at the forefront on every battlefield, with the aim of defending the [Palestinian] revolution. What a wonderful brother, companion, tough and stubborn, relentless fighter.” [Emphasis added.]
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, July 4, 2010]
All he more reason to demand the commemoration and make a scene doing it.
Bob Costas should be supported, he is going to need it.
Everyone should phone or write NBC with praise. I know I will. If Bob is removed or censored, I will NEVER watch nbc AGAIN, EVER.
Jews shouldn't be watching these ceremonies on a Friday night.
This appears as a diktat from Mr. Rogge. What right does he have? nTo complement Lipstadt I would add: with the collaboration of some Jews.
To some of those commenting and unable to define Rogge’s mindset let us just say that while denying being antisemitic he is basically denying Jews any human characteristic.
The refusal of the IOC, for the minute of silence, is an act of political correctness of the worst kind. Mr Rogge decision to hide for a minute of silence clearly indicates his FEAR of POLITICAL ISLAM. The need to spend millions of pounds on security is by DEFINITION POLITICAL.