Why didn’t Abbas apologize for the Munich Olympics massacre?

At a joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during his visit to Germany, PA Chairman Abbas was asked to apologize for the massacre at the Munich Olympics 50 years ago when Palestinian terrorists murdered 11 Israeli athletes. 

Instead of apologizing, Abbas accused Israel of committing “50 Holocausts” against the Palestinians.  

But there is an obvious reason why Abbas didn’t apologize for the massacre at the Munich Olympics:  The PA and Fatah are proud of the attack and the murders.

The deadly terror attack in which eight Palestinian terrorists from the terror organization Black September - a secret branch of Fatah - broke into the athletes' village at the Munich Olympics on Sept. 5, 1972, took Israeli athletes and coaches hostage, and ultimately murdered 11 of them, is one of the flagships of Palestinian terrorism. 

For almost 50 years, the PA, and Fatah – both institutions that Abbas currently heads, have expressed satisfaction with this terror attack and admiration for the terrorists. When describing the massacre and the terrorists, the PA/Fatah use terms like “pride,” “glory,” “heroic,” and “beloved.”   

Just a few months ago, Palestinian Media Watch reported that one of Abbas’ senior Fatah officials praised the terrorists  who perpetrated the Munich killings as “heroes”: 

Posted text: “On the anniversary of the death as a Martyr of national fighter and exceptional self-sacrificing fighter Atef Bseiso (i.e., terrorist, involved in Munich Olympics massacre in which 11 were murdered), we will raise the memory of the revolution in our memories. Before us stand Martyr leaders Abu Ali Iyad (i.e., Fatah terror leader), Salah Khalaf ‘Abu Iyad’ (i.e., head of Black September terror organization), and the heroes of the Munich operation (i.e., Munich Olympics massacre). The land will take back its glory through its righteous sons who create the glory of the revolution. [May there be] great peace and mercy on your soul.”  

[Facebook page of Fatah Central Committee member Tawfiq Tirawi, 
June 8, 2022]

Over the years, Palestinian Media Watch has exposed numerous statements by the PA and Fatah are proud of the attack and the murders. Here are some examples: 

• PA: Munich Olympics massacre planners presented “spectacular aspects of pride, glory, and loyalty” (2021)

• Fatah: Murder of Israeli athletes in Munich is a “heroic operation” (2021) 

• Abbas’ advisor says arch-terrorists are "beloved" - including head of Black September terror organization Abu Iyad (2020) 

• Palestinian university’s new gate named after mastermind of Munich Olympics massacre (2020) 

• "Black September stunned the world and made it hold its breath for more than 12 hours" (2018) 

• New PA school named after mastermind of Munich Olympics massacre,
  PA official on importance of school's name: "To commemorate the memory of this great national fighter" (2016) 

• “Munich operation, Sept. 5, 1972 – Fatah was here” (2016) 

  

• Fatah honored Munich terrorist: "Ali Hassan Salameh, the Martyr Commander, the Red Prince. The glory in his name is enough" (2015) 

• PA praised one of the Munich attack planners as “one of the stars who sparkled… at the [Olympics] sports stadium in Munich"  (2010)  

Considering the PA and Fatah’s continuous glorification of the murders of the Israelis in Munich, it comes as no surprise that Abbas refused to apologize as this would be disowning one of the essential elements in the PA’s ideology of endorsing, promoting and glorifying the killing of Israelis. 

The Munich Olympics massacre – Deadly terror attack in which eight Palestinian terrorists from the terror organization Black September, a secret branch of Fatah, broke into the athletes' village at the Munich Olympics on Sept. 5, 1972. The terrorists took Israeli athletes and coaches hostage, and ultimately murdered 11 of them when the German police tried but failed to rescue the hostages and subdue the terrorists at an airport near Munich.