The motion said that the impact of 1972 Munich Massacre "has been seared on world consciousness" and urged the International Olympic Committee to commemorate the 40th anniversary.
[17] The House of Commons unanimously adopted a motion by Liberal Member of Parliament Irwin Cotler to support the campaign for a special tribute for the victims of the Munich Massacre.
Given the impact of this tragedy, on the Olympic community as a whole and the world, it should be marked publicly as part of the official ceremony of the games, not just by the Israeli delegation.
Westerwelle added that Germany "looks back with grief and anguish on the tragedy of Munich" and their thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the Israeli team members who survived.
[19] Parliament President Norbert Lammert pledged his support for one minute of silence in an official letter to Israel's Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin.
"[20] The London Assembly unanimously agreed on a motion that called on Mayor Boris Johnson to ensure that the victims of the 1972 Munich Massacre are remembered during the 2012 Games with a minute of silence in the Olympic Park during the opening or closing ceremonies.
Roger Evans AM seconded the motion and said, "The IOC needs to show some political courage and allow the commemoration of a tragedy that affected their guests during their event in their venue forty years ago.
"[21][23] Approximately 140 members of Italy's parliament urged the International Olympic Committee to observe one minute of silence on the 40th anniversary of the Munich Massacre in a letter they wrote to the IOC.
[24] The United States Senate unanimously passed a resolution which urged the International Olympic Committee to hold one minute of silence.
Representative Eliot Engel, who cosponsored the resolution in support of a minute of silence, blamed the IOC's refusal on "being political because frankly they’re afraid of offending some of the Arab nations."
National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said "We absolutely support the campaign for a minute of silence at the Olympics to honor the Israeli athletes killed in Munich.
"[27] United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wrote to the International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge to urge the IOC to hold an "appropriate memorial event" in London for the victims of the Munich massacre, and urged the IOC to reverse their decision against holding a minute of silence.
IOC President Jacques Rogge said that, "We feel that the opening ceremony is an atmosphere that is not fit to remember such a tragic incident."
"[29] At the London commemoration on August 6, Romano told Rogge he had "submitted to terrorism", and would be "written down on the pages of history as ... a president who violated the Olympic charter calls for brotherhood, friendship and peace."
'[30] Jibril Rajoub, the president of the Palestine Olympic Committee, thanked Jacques Rogge in a letter for refusing to hold a minute of silence, saying that it promotes the "spread of racism" and that the Palestinian Olympic team was prepared to "confront the Israeli provocations," referring to a minute of silence.
[34][35] Ankie Spitzer and Ilana Romano urged members of the crowd to stand for a spontaneous minute of silence during the opening ceremony.
Spitzer claimed that Rogge was using a Munich ceremony organised by the Israelis and the London Jewish community on August 6 as an excuse not to hold the moment of silence.
During the opening ceremony, Costas referred to the spontaneous minute of silence the week before as insufficient, saying, "Still, for many, tonight with the world watching is the true time and place to remember those who were lost and how and why they died.
Joseph Potasnik, vice-president of the New York board of rabbis, said, "37,360: these are the number of minutes in the entire Olympics and they didn't find one.
"[41][42] On August 9, Irwin Cotler, a former Canadian justice minister and attorney-general and a then-member of Parliament, wrote a last-minute plea to Rogge to hold a minute of silence at the closing ceremony of the Olympics.
Those in attendance consisted of approximately 30 individuals, as well as the Italian Tourism and Sports Minister Piero Gnudi, the head of the Italian Olympic Committee Gianni Petrucci, the Chairman of the Israeli Olympic Committee Zvi Varshaviak, and the head of the Israeli delegation Efraim Zinger.
[46][47] On the same day, a memorial was held in Trafalgar Square that was attended by approximately 400 people to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Munich massacre.
The event, organised by the British Israel Coalition, was "a response to the International Olympic Committee's sustained refusal to include a minute of silence in the opening ceremony due to be held tonight.
Prime Minister Cameron said, "It's right that in 2012 – 40 years on from the Munich Olympics – we remember the Israeli team members who were killed there.
London Mayor Boris Johnson attended the event, and recalled watching the massacre in 1972 unfold when he was 8 years old.
[45] On July 31, a minute of silence was held aboard an EasyJet flight from London to Israel as their aeroplane flew over Munich, Germany.
[52] Prime Minister Cameron said: It is right that we should stop and remember the 11 Israeli athletes who so tragically lost their lives when those values came under attack in Munich 40 years ago.
"[53] Spitzer and Ilana Romana, who had previously requested that Rogge be banned from the ceremony, said that the IOC had discriminated against the dead athletes because they were Israelis and Jews.