Agenda -  The Munich Massacre 

Agenda: The Munich Massacre

 

The Munich Massacre of 1972 stands as one of the most tragic intersections of international sport and political violence. During the Summer Olympics in Munich, members of the Palestinian militant group Black September stormed the Olympic Village, taking eleven Israeli athletes and coaches hostage. A failed rescue attempt by West German authorities ended in catastrophe, with all hostages killed. What was intended as a celebration of peace and unity became a global tragedy, raising enduring questions of state responsibility, terrorism, and the protection of human life under international law.

 

The legal complexities of the Munich Massacre are scattered throughout the case. At the heart of the case lies the obligation of the host state, West Germany, to safeguard foreign delegations and prevent foreseeable harm. Israel argued that Germany’s security preparations were inadequate and that its mishandled rescue attempt amounted to a breach of due diligence obligations under international law. The massacre also provoked questions about the accountability of non-state actors, such as Black September, and whether states can be held responsible for harboring or supporting such groups. In the aftermath, Israel launched Operation Wrath of God, targeting those involved in planning the massacre,an operation that in turn sparked debate on the legality of extraterritorial force, sovereignty, and proportionality under the UN Charter.

 

Core issues include: Did Germany fail in its duty to protect Israeli nationals under international law? Was Israel’s response consistent with its right to self-defense, or did it violate the sovereignty of other states? How should international law treat terrorism carried out by non-state actors in a period when global counterterrorism frameworks were still evolving? These questions require a nuanced balance between state sovereignty, collective security, and human rights.

 

This year, the delegates of the International Court of Justice at JBMUN will be tasked with revisiting the Munich Massacre through a legal lens. The tragedy is not only a case study of lives lost but also a test of how international law responds to terrorism, accountability, and the duty of states to protect those within their borders.

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