For the first time since the murders of eleven Israeli athletes
at the Munich Olympics in 1972, a moment of silence to honor
their memory was observed during the opening ceremony
at this year's Olympic games held in Japan.
On the morning of September 5, 1972 the terrorists, wearing
ski masks, infiltrated the Olympic Village and ambushed the Israeli team.
Two of the athletes were murdered. The rest were taken hostage.
After negotiations with the West German authorities
failed to meet the Palestinians' demands, the latter took
the hostages to the Munich airport.
It was there that the German police opened fire
from ambush on the rooftops and killed three of the
terrorists. A gun battle between the police and the
terrorists ensued during which the remaining
hostages were shot and killed, along with two
members of the Palestinian group, and
a German police officer.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, then Prime Minister of Israel
Gold Meir authorized "Operation Wrath of God", a covert action
undertaken by the Mossad, Israel's intelligence service, to track down
and assassinate the individuals involved in the 1972 massacre.
Those targeted were members of Black September
and the Palestinian Liberation Organization.
After the passage of nearly fifty years, the victims of this
appalling tragedy are finally being remembered and honored
at the Olympic Games. A moment of silence long overdue.
"Today for the first time at the Olympic Games, the brutal massacre
of the 11 members of the Israeli delegation at the 1972 Munich Games
was officially mentioned," tweeted Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.
I welcome this important and historic moment. May they rest in peace."
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