On Thursday, the families of 11 Israeli athletes killed by Palestinian attackers at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich decided not to attend a 50th-anniversary ceremony organized by German authorities
The families said they made a move since they deserve more compensation and a fuller reckoning of the tragedy.
“Fifty years of abuse, lies, humiliation, and dismissals by the German government, and by the Bavarian authorities, in particular, are too much for us, “The group of families wrote in a letter to Bavarian leaders, who are organizing the Sept. 5 memorial event.
The families added that while German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier accepted their demands for a public apology and the opening of archives with more information about the attack, the amount of compensation offered by Germany was “an insult.”
It can be recalled that members of the Palestinian group Black September broke into the Olympic Village, killed two athletes from Israel’s national team, and took nine more hostages on Sept. 5, 1972. The attackers hoped to force the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and two left-wing extremists in West German jails.
According to reports, all nine hostages and a West German police officer died during a rescue attempt by German forces.
Relatives of the dead athletes accuse Germany of failing to secure the Olympic Village, refusing Israeli help, and then ruining the rescue operation.
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