ROME (EJP)----The International Council of Jewish Parliamentarians (ICJP) has called on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to hold a minute of silence in memory of the 11 Israeli athletes killed 40 years ago in Munich by the Palestinian terror organization Black September, at the opening ceremony of the London Olympic Games on July 27.

In a letter to IOC President Jacques Rogge, Fiamma Nirenstein, Chairperson of the International Council of Jewish Parliamentarians, an umbrella organization of Jewish lawmakers from around world, writes: "For over forty years, the victims’ families have asked the IOC to observe a minute of silence during the opening ceremony of all the Olympic Games that followed the massacre and their request has never been answered. As Jewish lawmakers, we feel the need to join the voices of the widows, of many organizations and of several Legislative Assemblies across the globe (in Canada, Australia, Italy and the United States) calling for a moment of mercy for the memory of the fallen athletes."

"Our hope is that the IOC listens to these voices and it reconsiders its decision, observing a minute of silence this Friday, thus expressing a firm stance against terrorism and affirming the message that sports and athletics must be a unifying force, that transcends boundaries and flags."

The letter was signed by Jewish MPs from the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia Belgium, Hungary, Czech Republic, Serbia, Latvia, Colombia, Brazil, and Costa Rica.