Olympics must honour the slain athletes of Munich
The Victorian Coalition Government today called on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to observe a minute of silence at the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics to commemorate 40 years since the murder of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games.
The London Olympics, which opens this Friday, comes 40 years after 11 Israeli athletes were killed by terrorists at the Olympic Games in Munich.
"The killing of 11 Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics was an act of terrorism directed at both the State of Israel and the Olympic spirit of peaceful competition among nations," Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship Nicholas Kotsiras said.
"By holding a minute of silence, the IOC and the international community have an opportunity to honour the slain athletes while expressing our solidarity with the victims and our shared commitment to peace and justice.
"The Munich massacre was a vicious attack on a young country", Mr Kotsiras said.
"Forty years on Israel is still a young country, which has achieved great advances in many areas such as science, water technology, innovation and education.
"Despite all the challenges and threats, Israel's most precious resource is the ingenuity of its people and the IOC should support the moment of silence", Mr Kotsiras said.
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