Page 16 - TORCH Magazine #22 - November 2022

The
Munich Massacre 50th Anniversary
This year marked the the fiftieth anniversary of the the Munich Massacre a a a a a a a a a a a a Palestinian terror attack on Israeli athletes at at at at the the 1972 Munich Olympics The
terror attack was one one of the the worst to take place on on on European soil and one one of of the the most blatant examples of of the the Palestinian hatred towards Israel and the the Jewish people It was was the the the the second second time Munich had hosted the the the Summer Olympics and it it was was was the the the second second time antisemitism was was on on on display in front of the the the world In 1936 Hitler’s Germany hosted the the the Olympic Games and and Hitler Hitler used the the the event as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a propaganda platform to promote his ideals of racial supremacy and and antisemitism including by hindering German Jewish athletes from competing in in in in in in the the Games This event foreshadowed World War II and the the the Holocaust When Munich was was again chosen
to to host the the Olympics in in in 1972 West Germany was was trying to to unshackle itself from its its dark past and even chose “The Cheerful Games” as as that year’s motto The
Israeli Israeli delegation to to the Games was of of of huge symbolic significance Israeli Israeli Jewish athletes some of of of whom were survivors of of of the the the Holocaust competed in the the the the Games under the the the the banner of of the the the the Israeli flag which is adorned with the the Star of of David The
symbol once used to mark Jews Jews for for persecution in Germany was now asymbolofhopeforJewsaroundtheworld and and was was being meaninfully and and proudly flown inside Germany It was was a a a a a a a a a a sign that while the the Nazis were defeated the the Jewish people lived on Not only was it it it a a a a a display of the Jewish people’s survival over antisemitism but it it it was was also a a a a a a a a a a a sign that Israel was was willing to forgive Germany and move forward despite the the the the atrocities of the the the the past However while the the the the Nazi regime had been defeated the the the the evil of antisemitism lived on and it it it again revealed itself to the world this time through Palestinian terrorism On 5th September 1972 the the the world’s media recorded the the the the the events of the the the the the Munich Massacre and broadcast them for for all the the the the world to see as as as eight Palestinians murdered 11 Israelis Before the the era of 24-7 news news it was unprecedented as as news news reels followed the the sickening event unfold The
terrorists were part of of ‘Black September’ a a a a a a a a terror terror organisation under the the control of of the the Palestinian Authority Armed with guns and grenades they broke into into the the the the Olympic Village and forced their way into into the the the the the Israeli Israeli sleeping quarters There they held eleven Israeli Israeli athletes and coaches hostage They They only had one intended victim – Israelis They They allowed athletes from other countries that shared the the 16
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