Parliament rises for Munich
THE House of Representatives rose in unison on Tuesday in support of a motion calling on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to observe a minute of silence at the London Games for the 11 Israeli victims of the Munich massacre. The move comes less than a month after an open letter from The AJN beseeching the IOC to hold a memorial at the 2012 Games attracted a raft of high-profile signatories, including Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott...
THE House of Representatives rose in unison on Tuesday in support of a motion calling on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to observe a minute of silence at the London Games for the 11 Israeli victims of the Munich massacre.
The move comes less than a month after an open letter from The AJN beseeching the IOC to hold a memorial at the 2012 Games attracted a raft of high-profile signatories, including Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott.
On September 5, it will be 40 years since 11 Israelis were murdered by Palestinian terror group Black Saturday at the Munich Olympic Games. Since then, the IOC has repeatedly ignored calls for a minute’s silence to be observed in memory of the dead. But pressure has been building on IOC president Jacques Rogge after he dismissed a request by the Israeli government last month to commemorate the terror attack at the opening ceremony in London.
The motion was moved by Liberal MP Paul Fletcher and seconded by the member for Kooyong, Josh Frydenberg.
In an impassioned speech to Parliament on Monday, Frydenberg stressed the importance of a memorial at the London Games.
“This Olympics in London is the perfect opportunity to right the wrongs of the past,” Frydenberg said.
“Indeed, the slogan for the 2012 Olympics is ‘Inspire a Generation’. Now it is time to live up to these words. Plaques and memorials only go so far. What is now needed is a minute of silence.
“I commend all those individuals, including the member for Bradfield, the member for Melbourne Ports and the member for Eden-Monaro; the media outlets, including The Australian Jewish News; and national governments from around the globe, which have worked tirelessly to ensure that the Olympic movement does not forget the victims of Munich.”
Fletcher said it was “important that this horrific event is not forgotten and that is the point of the motion before the House today”, adding that for four decades “the families of those killed in Munich and the Jewish community around the world have been asking the International Olympic Committee to observe a minute of silence at Olympic Games in memory of those killed in Munich”.
Member for Melbourne Ports Michael Danby reminded Parliament that the support for an official commemoration was not limited to Australia and Israel.
“This request has the support, among others, of the Canadian Parliament, US congressmen, British politicians and, to their great credit, the members for Bradfield, Kooyong and Eden-Monaro and the Australian government and opposition,” Danby said.
Labor MP Mike Kelly also spoke in support of the motion. “We must have a minute’s silence in London to remind the world of the loss of these fine Israeli athletes and to inspire our rededication to the implacable fight against terror, the attainment of peace in the Middle East and our pursuit of the Olympic ideal.”
For full coverage, see this week’s AJN.
ADAM KAMIEN
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