IOC President Bach says Israeli-Palestinian athletes 'living in peaceful coexistence'

PARIS − International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said Tuesday that the Palestinian and Israeli national Olympic committees have been "living in peaceful coexistence."

Bach made the comments in a press conference a few days before the Paris Games were due to begin following a request by the Palestinian delegation to exclude Israeli athletes from the Games because of the war in Gaza.

Bach said the IOC's rules were "very clear" on such requests and that the Olympics are "not a competition between countries or governments" but "among athletes." He was responding to a letter sent to him on Monday by the Palestinian Olympic Committee. Palestine is recognized as a sovereign state by the vast majority of United Nations member states. The U.S. and several large western European nations have not done so.

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The letter alleged that Israel's bombardment of Gaza was a violation of the Olympic truce, known as "Ekecheiria," the tradition that dates back to ancient Greece. It stipulates that countries that participate in the sporting event should cease all conflicts seven days before the Games kick off − until seven days after they finish.

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The truce idea was intended to allow safe passage for the athletes of warring countries to compete in the Games.

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The Palestinian request also stressed that its athletes, especially those in Gaza, had suffered greatly in Israel's military offensive, which has killed at least 39,000 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Israel launched the war after Hamas attacked its southern border on Oct. 7, murdering and kidnapping civilians.

In striking down the Palestinian request, Bach said the "difference between the world of politics" and sports was that the Israeli and Palestinian Olympic committees had not been fighting each other. He said that to make the kind of exclusion determination the Palestinians were asking for would be to infringe on the IOC's political neutrality.

He said that if the IOC were to approve exclusions on the basis of nations that are at war with one another the number of Olympic committees in Paris would probably be cut in half.

"There's way too many wars and conflicts in the world," he said.

Eight Palestinian athletes are taking part in the Games. The Palestinian Olympic Committee said that approximately 400 Palestinian athletes have been killed in Israel's military operation.

Israel is sending 88 athletes to Paris. The Games' organizers said they would be given extra security protection. Israel's National Security Council on Tuesday released a message directed at Israelis in Paris urging them to be mindful of potential terrorist attacks, protests and other unrest aimed at them.

"Our first victory is that we are here and going, and that we didn't give up and have been competing in hundreds of competitions since Oct. 7," Israel Olympic Committee President Yael Arad said Monday.

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Both Israeli and Palestinian athletes are expected to abide by the IOC's rules of neutrality.

"No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas," according to Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on a visit to the U.S. He is scheduled to address Congress on Wednesday. He will also meet with President Joe Biden and Vice President and presidential hopeful Kamala Harris. Ahead of his visit, Netanyahu said progress was being made to free hostages held by Hamas.