PA thanks IOC for refusing Munich victims memorial

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Olympic c'tee rejects minute of silence at opening ceremony; PA official: Palestinians oppose Israeli attempt to exploit Games.

The Palestinian Authority has thanked the International Olympic Committee [IOC] for refusing to allow a minute's silence at the opening ceremony in London to mark the 40th anniversary of the murder of 11 Israeli athletes in the Munich Games.

Jibril Rajoub, head of the Palestinian Football Union, sent a letter to IOC Chairman Jaques Rogge thanking him for his position, the PA's official news agency, Wafa, reported Wednesday.

n his letter, Rajoub, a former PA security commander, wrote: "Sports is a bridge for love, connection and relaying peace between peoples. It should not be a factor for separation and spreading racism between peoples."

Wafa said that Rajoub sent the letter to the IOC chairman on Tuesday.

A senior PA official in Ramallah confirmed that Rajoub had sent the letter and said that the Palestinians were opposed to "Israel's attempts to exploit the Olympic games for propaganda purposes."

A senior Israeli official responded to the Palestinian letter by saying that "if the leadership of the PA is not willing to disassociate itself from its terrorist past, and is unwilling to see the Munich massacre as a brutal act of terrorism, then in Israeli eyes there will be big questions regarding their true commitment to peace and reconciliation."