Ankie Spitzer’s quest

Black September was the first of the PLO’s deniable covert units. For Black September, read Yasser Arafat et al. See, for example, my Weekly Standard article “How Arafat got away with murder.” With that addition, the Wikipedia account of the July 1972 massacre of the Israeli Olympic athletes in Munich does a good job of acquainting readers with the story for those who didn’t live through it and refreshing the memory of those who did.

The Times of Israel has posted a story by Mitch Ginsburg geared to the anniversary of the massacre next week: “Ankie Spitzer’s 40-year quest for Olympic justice.” In an email message drawing our attention to the story, Times of Israel editor David Horovitz writes: “I think this is an extraordinary story…How Arab pressure and Olympic immorality have thwarted the relentless quest of a widow [Ankie Spitzer] to have her husband and the other 10 Israelis who were murdered by Palestinian terrorists at the Munich 1972 games, commemorated at the Olympics.”

David adds: “I think it’s dismal that the IOC has commemorated other Olympic and related tragedies and yet steadfastly refuses to honor 11 israeli athletes who were murdered AT the Olympics! and this stance will continue now in London, despite GERMANY, where the murders took place, asking for that moment of respect. This woman’s relentless battle is so moving and worthy of support…” Please check out Ginsburg’s story about Mrs. Spitzer.

UPDATE: I meant to note that the Star Tribune has posted a related column by Sally Abrams: “Just one minute to honor murdered Olympians.”

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