ZCC campaign for one minute silence at the opening ceremony of London Olympics for the Israelis murdered at the Munich Olympics

The ZCC is supporting a campaign for a public commemoration of a minute of silence at the opening ceremony, in memory of the Israelis murdered at the Munich Olympics during the upcoming London Olympic Games.

To date, only a small private, invitation only commemoration will take place.

For 40 years the IOC have ignored pleas for a public ceremony, under the guise that it is political. If the IOC was not political then delegations from each country would not enter the Olympic stadium under their country's flag and no national anthem of the gold medal winner would be played.

It is time to pursuade the IOC to recognise that 11 Olympic ahletes and coaches who were murdered during an Olympic games. There is nothing political about that!

We must not give in and apease anyone.

Below is a Press Release from Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon in response to the President of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge:

(Thursday , May 17, 2012), Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon responded to the letter he received from International Olympic Committee President, Jacques Rogge rejecting his request to hold a minute silence in memory of the members of the Israeli Olympic team murdered at the Munich Olympics in 1972, during the upcoming London Olympic Games.

“Unfortunately, this response is unacceptable as it rejects the central principles of global fraternity on which the Olympic ideal is supposed to rest,” Ayalon said. “The terrorist murders of the Israeli athletes were not just an attack on people because of their nationality and religion; it was an attack on the Olympic Games and the international community. Thus it is necessary for the Olympic Games as a whole to commemorate this event in the open rather than only in a side event.”

IOC President Rogge’s reply was in response to Ayalon’s letter, sent a few weeks ago, requesting the minute silence on behalf of representatives of the families, Ankie Spitzer and Ilana Romano, the widows of two of the murdered athletes.

“This rejection told us as Israelis that this tragedy is yours alone and not a tragedy within the family of nations. This is a very disappointing approach and we hope that this decision will be overturned so the international community as one can remember, reflect and learn the appropriate lesson from this dark stain on Olympic history.”

Ayalon passed Rogge's response to the athletes' families, including Spitzer and Romano who advocated for the minute silence. Ayalon told them that the Ministry will in the coming weeks launch a campaign that it is hoped will reverse the decision.

The ZCC insists that we must get all Zionist organisations on board to lobby the IOC and not let another opportunity pass us by.

The ZCC suggests that you target those that have the ultimate influence on the IOC, namely their sponsors and   ask them to support our campaign (click 

http://www.london2012.com/olympic-partners

In addition, the ZCC suggests that you approach those newspapers that might be sympathetic to our cause.

If the IOC still refuse the Israeli delegation should wear black armbands with a lowered Israeli flag during the opening ceremony march past.

Please also consider writing to your MP demanding a public commemoration, with a moment of silence and sign the petition below.

http://www.change.org/petitions/international-olympic-committee-minute-of-silence-at-the-2012-london-olympics

or you could write to:

Jacques Rogge
President, International Olympic Committee
Château de Vidy
Case postale 356
1001 Lausanne, Switzerland