Reps. Also Praise JCC Rockland For Traveling To London To Lobby IOC

Washington, DC--Reps. Eliot Engel and Nita Lowey are calling for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to hold a minute of silence to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the terrorist murder of 11 Israeli Olympians at the 1972 Munich Olympics.  The IOC has repeatedly denied requests for the minute of silence, but with the Games set to begin on Friday, can still do the right thing.  Reps. Engel and Lowey also applaud JCC Rockland for traveling to London to take their request directly to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Reps. Engel and Lowey have sponsored legislation aimed at the same goal.  The resolution has passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee and awaits the Republican Majority placing it on the agenda for a full House vote.  Engel and Lowey released the following statement:

“With the Olympic Games beginning this week, the IOC has a chance to honor the memories of their fallen heroes and mark the 40^th anniversary of the murder of 11 Israeli athletes and coaches.  This is not a political issue, but a matter of human decency.  The Munich 11 were part of the Olympic family, and IOC’s rejection thus far of a minute of silence is unacceptable.  The list of those who agree that a minute of silence is the right thing to do continues to grow – President Barack Obama added his voice to the chorus of world leaders who have supported this cause. Even the voice of the Olympic coverage, Bob Costas, has called for the IOC to change their minds.  While the IOC held a moment of silence at a private speech in front of 30-40 people this week, we believe that this message must be delivered before billions, not dozens. 

“We applaud the efforts of JCC Rockland who have traveled to London and joined with the Israeli Ambassador to Great Britain and the families of the victims to personally urge the IOC to change their mind.  The Olympics provide a unique opportunity to send a message that reaches billions of people from every corner of the globe. The clock is ticking on the IOC to do the right thing, and we remain hopeful that they will.”

Members of JCC Rockland and the widows of two victims – Ankie Spitzer and Ilana Romano – will hold a press conference at 11 am on Wednesday, July 25 (local British time) after they personally hand IOC President Jacque Rogge with JCC Rockland’s petition calling for the minute of silence.  The petition contains over 103,000 signatures.  The Opening Ceremonies of the London 2012 Games begin on Friday, July 27.

Rep. Engel is a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.  Rep. Lowey is the ranking member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations.

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