French President Georges Pompidou today sent a cable to Israel President Zalman Shazar expressing his sympathy over the killings in Munich. Following a French Cabinet session presided over by Pompidou, government spokesman Jean-Philippe Lecat said, “The government expresses its indignation at the attack and its sympathy for the victims and their families.”
Foreign Minister Maurice Schumann said that he was “overwhelmed by the Munich drama,” and remarked that “the Olympic peace has been broken by a bloodbath which took place only a few kilometers from the site of the Dachau concentration camp.” However Schumann stressed that none of the Arab governments had tried to excuse the terrorists and even the Palestinian organizations have “disassociated themselves from the Munich attack.”
Diplomatic observers here interpret this last remark as an oblique appeal to Israel not to undertake reprisal action and to confine its anger to those who have actually carried out the terrorist activities. French Prime Minister Pierre Messmer expressed his indignation and called for the respect of human rights.
Jewish organizations, as well as Catholic and Protestant churches, are holding memorial meetings throughout France in remembrance of the murdered athletes.
Elsewhere, Pope Paul VI this morning deplored the attack during a speech given before 5000 persons from his summer residence of Castel Gondolfo. In a message to Israeli President Zalman Shazar, the Pope expressed his “profound sorrow.” He said, “We deplore this act of violence and all acts of violence.” Italian President Joseph Saragat also sent a cable to the Israel President expressing his condolences.
COMMUNIST BLOC CONDEMNS MUNICH TERROR
The East German Communist Party condemned this morning “without reserve” the terrorist attack calling it “a horrible crime,” that would harm the interests of the Arab states themselves. The Soviet Union said that the chief of its delegation in Munich had expressed his “regrets” to the Olympic Committee and presented his “condolences.”
Radio Budapest declared that “this act of terrorism lowers the Palestinian movement to the level of political gangsterism….The terrorists cannot count on the sympathy of anyone.” Radio Warsaw said, “the terrorists have rendered the worst possible service to the Arab cause.” Leaders of the Czech delegation condemned “this act which prejudices the Olympic movement.” Radio Belgrade called it “an insane extremist attempt.”
In Amsterdam Dutch Premier Barend Biesheuvel and Foreign Minister Norbert Schmeltzer personally signed the condolence book at the Israeli Embassy in The Hague today. The Netherlands Palestinian Organization said that although it regretted the terrorist actions, they must be seen in the context of the Palestinians’ expulsion from their country. The three Jewish Dutch congregations, the Ashkenazi, Sephardic and Liberal have jointly cabled the Dutch government to immediately withdraw the Dutch delegation from the games.
Queen Margaret of Denmark cabled President Zalman Shazar saying she was participating in the mourning of the Israeli people. Prime Minister Jens Otto Krag, Foreign Minister K.B. Andersen and the Speaker of Parliament sent cables to Israel. The Belgian Committee for a Negotiated Peace Between Israel and the Arab Countries in a communique today expressed its indignation at the attack committed against the Israeli delegation to the Olympic games.
DAY OF MOURNING PROCLAIMED
In London, Dr. Nahum Goldmann, President of the World Jewish Congress, said, “We are all utterly numbed and appalled by this shocking barbarism. No civilized human being can ever accept such a callous and brutal assault on the dignity of man and on those principles of humanity for which we all stand.”
Britain’s Chief Rabbi Immanuel Jakobovits proclaimed a day of mourning for Anglo-Jewry next Monday. In Johannesburg, South African Premier B.J. Vorster expressed his deepest sympathy for Israel over the Munich massacre. Vorster said he could not condemn this outrage in strong enough terms. He warned that as long as some governments and organizations advocated and subsidized terrorism such crimes would recur. The South African Zionist Federation and Individual deputies cabled to the Israel government their deepest sympathy and shock at the dastardly deed. Special synagogue services were planned for tomorrow.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
