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Peter Kneffel / AFP - Getty Images
Vice Prime Minister of Israel Silvan Schalom, right, and President of the National Olympic Commitee Zvi Varshaviak take part in a wreath laying ceremony at the commemoration plate for the victims of the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre, Sept. 5. There ceremony took place in front of the house where the Israeli team stayed during the Olympic Games, in Munich, southern Germany.
Peter Kneffel / EPA
Masked officers of German Police Special Operation Unit SEK participate in security arrangements during the laying of wreaths to commemorate the Israeli athletes who were murdered in a terrorist attack on the Olympic Games 40 years ago in Munich.
To mark the 40th anniversary of the Munich Massacre relatives of the 11 Israeli athletes who were killed after being taken hostage by the Palestinian terrorist group Black September, paid tribute at Fuerstenfeldbruck air base, the site of the killings. NBC's Andy Eckardt reports.
Politicians, survivors, and relatives of victims attended a memorial Wednesday to remember the 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team killed at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. The ceremony occurred in the Olympic Village, where the hostage-taking started 40 years ago in Munich, according to the European Press Agency.
They were killed in September 1972 by members of the Black September group who broke into the Olympic Village and took several members of the Israeli team hostage. Two Israelis died as they tried to fight the attackers; nine others and a German police officer died during a failed rescue attempt. Continue reading.
London Olympic organizers were criticized after they said they would not hold a moment of silence in memory of the athletes killed at the Munich games, NBC News reports.
Michael Dalder / Reuters
Wrestler Gad Tsabary stands in silence after laying a wreath at the memorial to the eleven members of the Israeli Olympic team and one German police officer who were killed in an attack by the radical Palestinian group Black September, during the 1972 Munich Olympic Games.
Joerg Koch / AP
A woman lights candles in front of wreaths at a memorial at the former accommodation building of the Israeli Olympic team in Munich.
Tobias Hase / AFP - Getty Images
The house in Connollystrasse 31, where the Israeli team stayed during the Olympic Games 1972, in Munich is seen on Aug. 29.
Keystone / Getty Images
Eleven Israeli athletes and coaches were killed by Palestinian gunmen during the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany.
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One might think that this was the opening act of a tragic drama, but you only need to read a little to realize that this conflict has been going on for 1400 years. Muhammad himself was the leader of the army that crushed the Jewish tribes near Medina, and sent them packing in exile from the Arabian Penninsula. There is a doctrinal religious hatred of the Jews.
I can't even imagine the poisonous rabid hatred that one must have to kill competing athletes at a peaceful venue like the Olympics. It could only come from a culture of hatred that was instilled from the adolescent years when the mind forms a sense of right from wrong.
I can only imagine the pain that the parents felt seeing the training and excitement of sport turn into a hostage standoff and murder.
Well stated and a truthful overview of the hate filled culture of islam that disguises itself as a religion. Training to hate and kill is an integral part of this hideous culture, and yet we find the naive and the 'do-gooder' liberals defending islam, claiming that it is really a peaceful religion. When will the world awake?
Well said Charles.
I too do not understand hatred of people based on their race or religion.
There is no room in my family for racial or religious hatred. In three generations from my mother and father down to their grand children we have Native Americans, Latin Americans, Indians & Caucasians. For religions we have catholics, christians and hindus. It would be impossible to breed a racist in our family. They would be disowned and that is something we are very proud of...and above all else, regardless of where our family members have immigrated from, and there are many who have, we all view ourselves as Americans first. We discuss these types of things openly. As Americans, our family looks around and knows, not thinks, that this is the world we want to live in and this is a world worth fighting for. It is what we have worked hard to build generation after generation for 200 years and our children and grand children will make it an even better world.
This world will never survive if racism and religious hatred prevail. All these two evils have to offer is war, death and destruction for all of humanity regardless of what race or religion you are.
Humanity is consuming itself. I will not trust in it. I will keep my faith where it belongs.
A bit off on a tangent but there you go. Those people are safe and in God's hands now. RIP.
Terrible tragady.
The crazy thing is these terrorist acts are still taking place against the Israelis today, missiles constantly being fired in, babies being slaughtered, etc. but somehow the Israelis are blamed for it.
And what about the countless massacres perpetrated by the Israeli gov't against it's Arab neighbors???
Yes, how about those damn Israelis kidnapping athletes from other countries and murdering them, turning a world wide peace event into a terrorist playground?
Shameful of them, just shameful!!!! They just don't know how to keep their freaking politics and wars in the war zones and killing fields and out of the civilian arenas, what barbarians!
Some people have a warped sense of reality screminmimi.
One of the problems in the Arab world that seems to be rampant is that ruling classes close their populations off from communicating with the world so they get no contradicting information (mostly the truth). They then brain wash their own people to believe these ridiculously outragious claims that various religions and races are calling for the destruction of their religion and homelands. These particular religious leaders in the Arab world are the ones that bring the most shame and disgrace to their religion and people. Not all, but most. The Arab spring is at least bringing some of the Arab countries into the light. Egypt comes to mind.
..but that is of course just my opinion.
11 Israelis were killed. 34 US sailors on the USS Liberty were killed 8 June 1967. When are the Israelis going to mourn them?
Sic, you are sick trying to justify (yes, you ARE trying to justify the killings) that heinous act. Everyone in the world knows the hatred of the perpetrators. Like Charles put it, a life of hate can only justify such act.
Let' compare Palestinian and Isreali progress in the last 70 years, since the formation of Israel. The Palestinians, with the help of all their neighbors have started about 4 wars with Israel and lost every one. The Isrealis have defended themselves, winning every one, knowing losing one was the end of their country and the slaughter of thousands. The Palestinians have taught hate and war for Israel, the US, the west, and Christinanity. The Israelis have taught science, math, english, russian, the arts. The Palestinians have built tunnels and bombs and weapons, the Israelis have built water desalting plants, solar energy. the Palestininas teach religious law and ideologgy, the Isrealis teach sciencs and math. the palestinians attacek unarmed athletes at an international athletic event, the Isrealis figure out who is responsible and sneak in and kill those people,,the Palestinians refuse to let their children out in the world or let the world in...would corrupt their religion and way of life,,the Isrealis are all over the world and have opened up their countru and society to the rest of the world. ...Wonder why the Palestinians have gotten nowhere in 70 years, and the Israelis have built a successful, internationally open country. Hmmmmm.
Too add to that, having better weapons helps too.
Might makes right? Come on, really? Thats the argument youre going to use? If we follow your ridiculous logic, the Nazis were just fine since they were able to win wars with France, Czechoslovakia, Poland, etc. Of course the Zionists can do all of that stuff, because they're paid billions of Americans tax payer dollars to continue the Nakba and apartheid.
Palestinians cant study abroad because the zionist occupation seals the borders. Even those natives living in Israel can only study certain subjects because the zionists dont want educated natives. Most of them are simply confined to squalid ghettos little better than in the West Bank. The only part of Palestine that is free of zionist occupation is Gaza thanks to the heroic resistance, but even that area is still blockaded. The greedy zionists steal the land and the oceans, and then you think Palestinians are wrong because they're weak or poor?
Jarret, Not correct.
PS: although Israel had mercilessly "sealed" borders, there is enough mobility for you guys to fly to Munich and kill, eh?
For once... just once.... can't we just say that the deaths of those athletes was a tragedy that touched the entire Olympic community, and we share condolences with their family and friends, and their nation.... and leave it at that?
This falls into the same category with the wonderful and tragic girl who died on the refugee boat while trying to reach another country where she might find a coach to help her continue to reach the Olympic Gold, and improve her life.
All were young people pushing themselves to their limit with pride in their abilities and hope in their futures. Put politics aside for one day and give them a moment of respect.
When it comes to Palestinians who have absolutely no historical claim to the land they claim to own since they are simply displaced into Isreal from the surrounding Arab countries and brainwashed into believing that Isreal is Palestine, you will never put politics aside. It is the politics on that topic alone that will bring about the biblical prophecies in due time...and very soon.
A moment of silence and respect may be achieved though I doubt it. Hatred runs deep in that desert.
Deaths of some zionist athletes - tragedy.
Death or exile of 2 million native Palestinians - zionist media doesnt care.
@!$%# them, they got what they deserved for living on stolen land.
how about the illegal partition of Palestine UN Resolution 181 which didn't allow the Palestinians to vote on partition and the millions of Palestinians made homeless and i'm to shed tears over 11 European terrorist
I refuse to engage and am withdrawing from this thread.
This incident was a tragedy and remains a sad memory for the Olympics.
Rest in peace.
Mimi, good for you. There is too much hatred in these people. Withdrawal of sane voices are misconstrued by these haters as their sick form of victory over rest of the world (yeah, its really them against rest of the world).
I was born while this massacre unfolded. I remember those poor souls every birthday.
My heart goes out to the families of the murdered freedom fighters who helped to bring abuses against Palestinians to notice. Their brave sacrifice will not be forgotten by the Resistance to Zionist apartheid.
I will pray to god to forgive you. He does forgive sinners as well as haters.
Well now the Piglets have something new to whine about. Soon they will want to build a new museum in Washington DC ( at American taxpayer expense I am sure) to commemorate this new "Holohoax" and demand all the calendar makers to add another special day marked" Munich Holocaust". Bet the Jewish lawyers are working up a "reparations" programs for this new fraud scheme.
Watch out German people. You can bet the greedy Piglets will want a new taxpayer funded memorial in Munich built.
Poor little Jews. Booh Hoo. Your stinken country murdered US sailors on the USS Liberty in 1967. 11 isn't enough dirt ball zionist pigs.
Typical brainwash: whenever one sees the words: Zionists, USS Liberty, stolen land, children's throat slit in one sentence, it is immediately clear that it is the work of a brainwashed propagandist machinery. They simply forget about the following other words: Munich, rockets fired from school, 4 wars initiated by, human shields.....
Wow! A lot of anti-semites got attracted to this story. Must be frustrated that Jews learned to shoot back.
Well, you will have to get used to the fact. Never again.