On September 5 1972, at the Olympics – an event not meant to be about politics or religion or war, just sport – members of the Palestinian terrorist group known as Black September used this opportunity to carry out a despicable act.
Planned for months and sanctioned from the very top of the Palestinian leadership, Black September infiltrated the Olympic Village, targeted the Israeli team, quickly killed two athletes, and took nine others hostage.
Those killed were not soldiers, neither were they in the security services. They were athletes, and of course Jewish.
Reasons, or an attempt at justification, were given for this vile act. But as always, such revenge for whatever wrong was done by the other side, only leads to more revenge and killing. It never stops. All utterly pointless.
Disguised as athletes themselves and using stolen keys, the terrorists entered the Olympic Village and forced entry into the Israeli athletes’ quarters. They then made demands for the release of 200 Palestinians held in Israeli jails. They also demanded a plane to make their getaway.
Negotiations began and an early rescue attempt was considered but called off. The TV cameras were reporting live and West Germany was under intense scrutiny.
Later that evening, believing they had managed to get what they wanted, the kidnappers led their hostages out and on to buses which would take them to waiting helicopters.
They arrived by helicopter at nearby Furstenfeldbruck air base where armed police were waiting for them. And it was here that the debacle started.
Apparently, the police had not received proper training in sharpshooting, there were not enough of them, and they also lacked radio communication. It was all so badly planned and executed.
During the gun battle, several terrorists were killed and also one German policeman. A German official even claimed at midnight that all the terrorists had been killed and all hostages released.
The reality was that soon after that announcement, it was discovered that all the Israeli athletes had actually been killed by the terrorists.
As an operation to free them, it was an utter shambles.
Innocent Jewish blood had once again been shed on German soil. As you can imagine, this did not go down well internationally.
Three of the terrorists were captured alive and held in jail, but astonishingly were released only weeks later by the German government in exchange for the crew of a hijacked Lufthansa plane.
Israel’s response to the massacre was swift and unbending. PM Golda Meir ordered the launch of an operation to find and kill all those involved directly or indirectly. The operation would be known as the Wrath of God.
They tracked, followed and killed those connected to the Munich massacre as far as Rome and Beirut. It was controversial, but initially highly successful.
However, and tragically, in Lillehammer, Norway, in 1973, Israeli agents misidentified their target and thus killed an innocent man. Norway was outraged and convicted five Israeli Mossad agents. It was a huge blow to Israel’s reputation.
As a result of what happened in Norway, Golda Meir suspended the operation.
Yasser Arafat is hailed by the Palestinians as a hero and freedom fighter, while being denounced by the Israelis and much of the western world as a murderer and terrorist.
“Free Palestine!” many in the west claim. Fair point, I have spent much time there and have written about the conditions many live under. It is collective punishment, I am in no doubt about that.
For sure, there are many individuals in the west who are pro-Palestine and also see Arafat as a hero. To those western Arafat sympathisers, I ask this. “Do you support the killing of those innocent Israeli athletes? How can this possibly bring peace to ordinary Palestinians?”
A few years back, on visiting Palestine, I took a bus from Bethlehem to Ramallah.
Standing outside Arafat’s compound in Ramallah deep in the West Bank, I was given a thorough security check and my bag was taken from me by a solider. I was then escorted into the glass building where Arafat’s body lay.
I did show respect by being quiet, but I did not bow at the tomb, which I was meant to do.
On asking if I could take a photo of Arafat’s tomb, I had expected a firm “no”, so was surprised when they said I could.
Wanting freedom and peace for ordinary Palestinians is right and just. But the killing of innocent athletes is wrong and can never be justified. As of course is the killing of any innocent person by any side involved in this ever continuing battle between Israel and Palestine.
Abu Daoud is considered to be the mastermind behind the Munich Massacre. He was finally arrested in France in 1977, but legal jargon meant he was not extradited.
He went on to live in Eastern Europe, Syria, Lebanon and Algeria. Attempts were made on his life, but he survived them all.
In 2006, he gave an interview to German TV where he stated: “I regret nothing.” He is also a hero to many, including today’s Palestinian leaders.
Daoud died in 2010, aged 72.
Just a few weeks ago, the Munich Massacre was remembered at a memorial service. Also, and for the first time, compensation was offered and accepted.
Can compensation ever make up for the loss of loved ones? No, I guess no amount of money could ever do that. However, to mark the 50th anniversary of this tragic incident, 28 million euros has been offered by Germany and accepted by Israel as compensation. I presume this will be divided up amongst the families?
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said the offer was an “important step by the German government”.
But why did this offer take so long? It happened 50 years ago. I have no idea; one can only speculate.
I have spent much time in Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Soldiers fighting soldiers is one thing, but the killing of innocent civilians on both sides by both sides, is despicable, pointless and only ever leads to more death and misery.
Just look at Israel, Palestine and Gaza today.
When will we ever learn?
I wish to quote a line from an unlikely source, but I feel it’s very apt considering much of the violence in the Middle East stems from people’s warped views on religion and who “owns” this land.
Sung by Freddie Mercury, of Queen: “If there’s a god up in the sky, looking down, what must he think of what we’ve done, to the world that he created…”
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