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Thursday, May 17, 2012
DFM Danny Ayalon in response to the President of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge

Press Release

DFM Danny Ayalon in response to the President of the International Olympic
Committee Jacques Rogge:

“Unfortunately, this response is unacceptable as it rejects the central
principles of global fraternity on which the Olympic ideal is supposed to
rest”

Today (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
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Terrorism/munich.html
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.
Full copies of the original Ayalon original letter and Rogge’s reply
available upon request.

Lital Shochat -
Spokesperson of DFM -
050-6203-072 / 054-7732-445
lital.shochat@mfa.gov.il - litalshochat@gmail.com

You can follow the Deputy Foreign Minister on
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http://www.facebook.com/people/Danny-Ayalon/100000021680488

Twitter
http://twitter.com/dannyayalon

Youtube

http://www.youtube.com/DannyAyalon

And

http://www.dannyayalon.co.il

http://www.dannyayalon.com

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