Yup, there you have it – the true nature of the Olympics has come out within the first two days. The Lebanese refused to train next to the Israeli team. The Olympics Committee quickly capitulated – and put up screens lest the Lebanese be forced to continue seeing the Israeli team.
Of course, the IOC will now have to explain how this isn’t politics – but then again, they should have no problems twisting lies and deception into their own unique type of reality. After all, after steadfastly refusing to honor the eleven Israeli athletes murdered at their Olympic games, on their watch, because of their failed security – they did allow a moment of silence for the London terror victims of July 7, 2005. Please don’t misunderstand – I don’t have a problem with the city of London remembering their own; I just find it grossly hypocritical that in that moment of silence, no one could think to dedicate it to someone else’s victims of terror.
It could have been a moment for all victims of terror; it could have been. It should have been. But it wasn’t. And according to the son of one of the Israeli victims, the International Olympic Committee had the nerve to tell the Israeli families that if they were to give a moment to the Israeli dead, they would have to likewise give a moment to the Palestinians who died at the Olympics games – to be fair of course.
Of course, the only Palestinians who died at the Olympics games were the terrorists themselves. Can you imagine the utter stupidity of that suggestion? But what becomes crystal clear, day after day, humiliation after humiliation, is that the Olympics are NOT about the brotherhood of man and the unity of nations. It is very much about politics and division and so very much about building barriers between nations.
Most of all, it is a reminder to Jews that in silence there is complicity; support; even agreement with the hatred of others. There are numerous examples of times when the Olympics has stopped for a moment to remember terror victims and fallen athletes. I do not begrudge anyone their moment of respect and honor. I am disgusted that while the Olympics can remember the terror victims of other nations and the memory of Olympic athletes that have died – they couldn’t stop to remember Olympic athletes that died in a terror attack on their watch (or lack thereof).
I am disgusted that after ordering all flags to fly at half-mast in 1972, the Olympics Committee rushed to raise the flags of 10 Arab nations who protested mourning the massacre of Jews/Israelis. And today, I am beyond sickened by the thought that complicity has turned to action; that the Lebanese could demand a wall be built – and the Olympics Committee complied.
They did not tell those Arab nations that it is not in the spirit of the games, they complied. They did not tell the Lebanese – NO – that is not in the spirit of the Olympics games – they built the wall. And they had the unbelievable nerve to tell Israel that there could be no moment of silence for the Israelis because they could not allow politics to enter into the games.
What they have allowed into the games instead, is something that is old, something that remains vibrant, something that slithers in the underbelly of Europe. It has a name as ancient as my people and as modern as the most amazing and innovative technology coming out of Israel. The old name is anti-Semitism. The new name is anti-Zionist. They are the same disease and the International Olympic Committee’s infection is both critical and contagious.
The only difference between now and 70 years ago or 700 years ago is that we recognize this disease for what it is and we recognize the games for what they are as well.
Brotherhood of man? Not even close. I pity the British people for having spent a reported billion dollars to be remembered for having hosted the Games of Hatred. All the gold medals in the world do not cover the ugliness that is being allowed, even supported by the Olympics Committee.
Thank you Paula for your outstanding blog! Wendy
No, it is not politics, since any team can erect these partitions (in order to avoid spying from other teams).
So all they did is draw the Lebanese team’s attention on the possibilities they had anyway…
I do not see your problem…
I thought that Israelis like to build walls…
There are none so blind as those who do not see! If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, and acts like a duck, the probability is, that it IS a duck! The IOC is about as political as you can get. And if they don’t think that ‘s bad, then why don’t they admit it???
It is an outrage, pure and simple how the Olympic committee is treating Israel. That the Lebanese were allowed to have a barrier between them and the Jewish athletes is mind boggling…the games are turning into a farce, and I’m so glad that I have not watched them at all…not even for a moment. Nor will I ever go to England again and spend money there..enough is enough!
JAN
I’m not sure I’d blame England. The IOC makes these decisions and it is headed by IOC President Count Jacques Rogge of Belgium. Ironically, at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, he gave a commemoration to a Georgian luge athlete who died during a training run… I guess there is a “small ceremony” scheduled in London on Aug 6th, but I haven’t heard much about it!
The IOC has renegged against their own Code of Ethics regarding discrimination. Please visit change.org and sign and share my petition: “The IOC at their next Session meeting in September 2013: Expell the Lebanese committee for discriminating against the Israel team” Thank you.