The families of the victims of the 1972 Munich massacre, said on Monday that they intend to accept the latest offer of compensation from the German government, clearing the way for them to participate in the event marking 50 years since the tragic attack, which is scheduled for next week.
The decision due to be finalized, was agreed upon in a zoom call, where some expressed their wish to end the dispute.
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A Palestinian terrorists during the attack on Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics
(Photo: AP)
The event, two-years in the planning was to include the participation of President Issac Herzog and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Herzog's participation was conditioned on a resolution of disagreements with the victims' families.
Palestinian terrorists belonging to the Black September terror group, infiltrated the Israeli delegation quarters in the Olympic village in Munich in 1972. and after killing two, took nine Israelis, hostage. They demanded the release of 234 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
After the intervention of the German police, all the hostages and five of the eight terrorists were killed. One German police officer also died.
The families, represented by Anki Spitzer, the wife of Andre Spitzer and Ilana Romano wife of Yossef Romano - both widowed in the terrorist attack, were offered the sum of nearly half a million euros for each of the 23 families involved, as compensation.
Earlier this year the families said they would boycott the anniversary event because they claimed a German offer of compensation, was in their words, humiliating. Germany had offered a total of 1.6 million shekels to be divided between the families. That offer was rejected.
The families argued that their children, who were orphaned in the attack, deserved better, in order to provide for their own families.
In the 50 years that passed since the tragic incident, the families of the victims fought for Germany to take responsibility for their failings in securing the release of the hostages, as well as full access into the historical records and minutes kept, at the time.
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The victims of the 1972 Munich massacre
(Photo: Photo: Courtesy of the Olympic Committee of Israel)
Germany agreed to the demands and the only matter which remained in dispute was the amount of compensation.
Over the past year, one family member of one of the victims, opposed the two widows attempts and announced he would attend the September event.
Eyal, son of Amitzur Shapira said the widow's who did not represent him, were attempting to extort money from Germany. But although initially, he had been supported by two other members of the group of families, they later retracted and chose to be represented by Spitzer and Morano.
The two widows said Eyal's pain was as great as their own and that their fight was to ensure that the children and grandchildren of the victims receive adequate compensation.