Australian Jewish leaders observe Munich Olympic memorial, In solidarity with Israel

Jacques Rogge, president of the IOC, taken to task for holding ‘moment of silence’ outside of public eye.

By JTA

 

 

Australian Jewish leaders observed a minute’s silence in honor of the 11 Israelis murdered 40 years ago at the Munich Games.

West German border police helicopters that carried armed terrorists and nine Israeli Olympian

West German border police helicopters that carried armed terrorists and nine Israeli Olympian hostages, at Fuerstenfeldbruck air force base about 20 miles west of Munich, Germany on Sept. 7, 1972. Photo by AP

Vic Alhadeff, chief executive of the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies, at the gathering last Friday at the Jewish community center in Sydney recounted the tragedy and lauded governments and their leaders around the world who supported the call for a minute of silence at the opening ceremony in London.

He also took Jacques Rogge, the president of the International Olympic Committee, to task for his failure to heed the calls: “We deplore his decision to hold a low-key memorial ceremony away from the public eye – in the shadows, out of sight of the thousands of spectators who will be at the opening ceremony; out of sight of the 1 billion global television viewers.”

Rogge held a moment of silence for the Israelis during a ceremony in the Olympic Village on July 23.

“The IOC – the world’s ultimate sporting arena – has yet again bowed to expediency and failed in its moral responsibility,” Alhadeff said.

The two umbrella Jewish organizations in Australia – the Zionist Federation of Australia and the Executive Council of Australian Jewry – had called upon all Australians to observe a moment of silence at 11 A.M. last Friday.

 

View original HAARETZ publication at: http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/jewish-world-news/in-solidarity-with-israel-australian-jewish-leaders-observe-munich-olympic-memorial-1.454617