Israel’s Herzog Travels to Germany for 1972 Olympics Memorial

Israeli President Isaac Herzog speaks as he meets with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (not seen) in London, Britain, November 23, 2021. Justin Tallis/Pool via REUTERS
Israeli President Isaac Herzog speaks as he meets with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (not seen) in London, Britain, November 23, 2021. Justin Tallis/Pool via REUTERS
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Israel’s Herzog Travels to Germany for 1972 Olympics Memorial

Israeli President Isaac Herzog speaks as he meets with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (not seen) in London, Britain, November 23, 2021. Justin Tallis/Pool via REUTERS
Israeli President Isaac Herzog speaks as he meets with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (not seen) in London, Britain, November 23, 2021. Justin Tallis/Pool via REUTERS

Israeli President Isaac Herzog departed Sunday for Germany, where he will attend a memorial for 11 Israeli athletes killed by Palestinian militants at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

"I am leaving this morning on a state visit to Germany, at the invitation of the President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier," Herzog said in a statement.

"The main part of the visit will be the memorial marking the 50-year anniversary of the terrible massacre of the 11 Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics in 1972," he added.

The president's trip to Munich follows a last-minute compensation deal reached last week between Germany and the families of the Israeli victims.

The bereaved relatives were offered $28 million by Berlin, in addition to $4.5 million previously granted.

Around 70 family members of victims are due to attend Monday's memorial, Ankie Spitzer, whose husband Andre Spitzer was killed, told AFP.

The Israel Olympic Committee confirmed it would send a delegation to the September 5 memorial.

It will mark 50 years since gunmen from the Palestinian militant group Black September stormed the Israeli team's lodgings.

They shot two people dead and took nine others hostage, all of whom were killed. Germany was blamed for botching an operation to rescue them.

Steinmeier's office has not said whether the president will make a formal apology during the ceremony at Fuerstenfeldbruck air base, west of Munich, where the hostage-taking reached its violent end.

During his three-day visit to Germany, Herzog is also due to meet Chancellor Olaf Scholz and address parliament in Berlin.



Trump: Biden 'Like a Palestinian' in Exchange on Israel

Donald Trump and US President Joe Biden during their presidential debate - The AP.
Donald Trump and US President Joe Biden during their presidential debate - The AP.
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Trump: Biden 'Like a Palestinian' in Exchange on Israel

Donald Trump and US President Joe Biden during their presidential debate - The AP.
Donald Trump and US President Joe Biden during their presidential debate - The AP.

Donald Trump on Thursday accused US President Joe Biden of siding with Palestinians in the brutal Gaza conflict for allegedly refusing to help Israel "finish the job" in the war against Hamas.

"He doesn't want to do it. He's become like a Palestinian -- but they don't like him because he's a very bad Palestinian, he's a weak one," Trump said during their presidential debate at CNN headquarters in Atlanta.

According to AFP, Trump's many invectives and sarcasm targeting the Democratic president were met with laughter and shouts of approval, while Biden's every hesitation and throat-clearing was a moment of triumph for most.

Republican supporters were reveling in sharing public space around politics in San Francisco.

"Did Trump win?" asked a beaming John Dennis, the party chairman for the Californian city.

"I was afraid Trump would be too aggressive from the start, but he did very well," he told AFP.

"You just have to give someone enough rope to hang themselves and that's what Trump did with Biden."