The ceremony, hosted by Israeli ambassador to Japan Yaffa Ben-Ari and the Israeli Olympic Committee, was held in a limited capacity as per COVID rules in Tokyo and marked 49 years since the terrorist attack was carried out in Munich.
In attendance were, among others, the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach, Governor of Tokyo Yuriko Koike, Japanese Olympic Minister Tamayo Marukawa, widows of the Israeli athletes murdered in the massacre, and several Israeli Olympic swimming team members.
"Our thoughts are with the families of the athletes murdered in cold blood by Palestinian terrorists," said Yaffa Ben-Ari at the ceremony. "The heinous massacre is etched in our memories for eternity."
For the first time ever, the Tokyo Olympics' opening ceremony observed a moment of silence to honor the Munich massacre victims, following decades of rejecting international campaigns to acknowledge the victims.
Former IOC President Jacques Rogge once called it "inappropriate."
"We would like to thank the IOC president for his decision to honor the victims in the opening ceremony of this year's Olympics," Ben-Ari added.
Ankie Spitzer and Ilana Romano, the widows of Andre Spitzer and Yossef Romano who were murdered in Munich, were present at the memorial ceremony.
"What you have done for us is nothing compared to what you have done for a better world," said Ilana Romano, referring to IOC President Thomas Bach. "Thanks to you, we finally feel like a part of the Olympic family," Romano added.
