Forty years ago this summer, PLO terrorists attacked, abucted and murdered 11 members of Israel’s delegation to the Summer Olympic Games. In doing so, the terrorists did not merely attack the individual victims and the country they represented, but also the declared ideal of the modern Olympics, to “help to build a better world through sport practised in a spirit of peace, excellence, friendship and respect.”

In this, the 40th anniversary year of that terrible tragedy, it is just, proper and fitting that the International Olympic Committee honor with a moment of silence at this year’s games the memory of the 11 victims who embodied the essence of the Olympic spirit by travelling to participate in an Olympic Games in a country that only a few decades earlier was implementing the Final Solution.

The IOC, however, has refused to honor their memory, choosing instead to appease the very hatred and intolerance the led to their deaths in the first place.

As some of you may know, Ankie Spitzer, the widow of Andrei Spitzer, has with others organized a petition drive urging the IOC to do the right thing and honor the memory of the Munich 11 with a moment of silence. I urge all fellow lizards to join in this important cause by signing the online petition, which I understand is going to be delivered to the IOC this coming Tuesday. The petition currently has over 110,000 signatures. The victims deserve that number to be exponentially higher. Please do your part.

You can find background information and the petition at the following link:

munich11.org

On behalf of those involved in the effort, I thank you for your support.