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Palestinian Olympic Rep Sees ‘Racism’ in Munich Moment of Silence

Jibril Rajoub says the campaign to honor the 11 slain Israelis is ‘divisive’

by
Adam Chandler
July 26, 2012
(Jabril Rajoub, Jacques Rogge)
(Jabril Rajoub, Jacques Rogge)

The petitions, public statements, and opinion pieces calling on the International Olympic Committee to hold a moment of silence to mark the 40th anniversary of the 1972 Munich Olympics, where 11 Israeli athletes and coaches were murdered by terrorists, is apparently a racist initiative, according to Jibril Rajoub–the head of the Palestinian Olympic Committee.

In a letter to IOC President Jacques Rogge, Rajoub wrote:

“Sports are a bridge for love, communication and the spreading of peace between nations and should not be used for divisiveness and the spread of racism.”

It seems a waste to devote any energy to this atrocious statement in the context of the campaign to honor the memory of the 11 slain athletes. But if Rajoub’s aspirational quote about sports really carried any weight, then there would be no need to hold a moment of silence to mark the 1972 Olympics; the events would haven’t been marred by the hate Rajoub’s now hypocritically protests.

Palestinian Olympics Chief Calls Minute of Silence Requests “Racism” [JTA]

Adam Chandler was previously a staff writer at Tablet. His work has appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Atlantic, Slate, Esquire, New York, and elsewhere. He tweets @allmychandler.