Trooper troops at a ceremony in Munich: "The repair took a very long time" | Israel today

Exactly 50 years since the massacre of the 11 victims of Munich, a memorial ceremony was held this morning (Monday) in the Olympic Village, which kicks off the month of events that will take place in Israel, Germany and other places in the world. 

50 years later, photo: Reuters

Among those present were, of course, the family members, the heads of the Olympic Committee in Israel with chairman Yael Arad, the Minister of Sports Hili Trooper and German representatives. 

Trooper said:

"A jubilee has passed since the horrific events of September 1972, and the correction took a very long time. Decades of Olympic sporting events, festive and exciting, that took place while repressing and removing the darkest stain in the history of the Olympic Games. Years in which fatherhood - the bereaved families - took place on the margins The events; years of waiting to be beaten for sin and recognition of injustice, added to the disaster." 

"In the years after the massacre in Munich, the Mossad launched the "Wrath of God" operation, and many of those responsible for the massacre paid for it, and these days, the circle is closed, with the recognition of the official - professional and national authorities, of the enormous sacrifice you were not asked to make, but you were forced to." 

The ceremony in Munich, photo: Reuters

"The circle is closed thanks to the Israelis, and first and foremost the representatives of the families, who did not forget and did not give up on the memory and the duty of those who were negligent to bear responsibility. It took fifty years for justice to be seen, but persistence paid off and justice, albeit late, is seen and present." 

"We fought together with you so that no one would forget the negligence, the abdication of responsibility and the opacity. We are here to remember and remind. This monument is important, but the State of Israel does not need a monument to remember Eliezer, Andrey, David, Ze'ev, Yosef Gottfreund and Yosef Romano, Jacob, Mark, Moshe, Amitzur, and Kehat. We remember them. We remember the 5th and 6th of September, 1972, and we will not forget." 

Yael Arad said:

"September 5th in one cruel and unimaginable moment, everything turned upside down. The Olympic village turned from an international arena into a bloody arena. Sons of injustice who murdered innocent people, just because they are Israelis. Israeli sports lost the top coaches, judges and athletes." 

Wreaths in memory of the murdered, photo: Reuters

"A national tragedy that left scars in the hearts of the Olympic family in Israel, 20 years for Israeli sports to recover, 20 years of gradual rehabilitation, until the glass ceiling where Israel entered the list of medal winners was broken." 

"In every performance and achievement they are the legacy left by those murdered in 1972. 50 years after the murder, Israel has 13 medals, this is the victory of Israeli sports. Dear families, last week the circle closed, as we stand here and dedicate this day to 11 pure souls who were killed Here". 

"Today, 50 years after the murder of the 11 Munich martyrs, we promise that the Olympic Committee in Israel will continue to work tirelessly to commemorate the Munich martyrs, we will work to pass on their legacy to the younger generation and we will forever embrace the families who are a separate part of the Olympic family in Israel." 

Ilana Romano, the widow of Miriam Mashkolot Yosef Romano:

"We are the families of the victims of Munich, we went through a long and painful journey together. Each one of us carries his pain, when the relatives of the murdered were resolved on the painful way, here in the Olympic village I think about what happened to you in the last moments, after your murder , another 9 of your friends were led to murder, all this happened on this land." 

Yael Arad, Ilana Romano and Anki Peshitzer at the ceremony, photo: Reuters

"These despicable terrorists were allowed to continue their lives happily and cheerfully, we could not remain silent, how is this possible? We, the families, went through judicial torture and our duty was to do historical justice. In the last months, we contributed the media to be the mouthpiece for justice and the truth." 

"We thank everyone who helped to end this affair, to our friend the President of the Olympic Committee Thomas Bach, to all Israeli athletes for generations - every achievement strengthens the memory of the victims. We hope that the committee will be established soon and reach the truth for the sake of future generations."

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