The Palestinians did something that the Axis and the Communists likely never even contemplated doing–breaking the Olympic peace by murdering for political gain. And the world’s reaction was not revulsion or condemnation so much as “understanding,” not condoning, certainly, but I recall few unequivocal condemnations. Usually we were cautioned to try to understand why people would be moved to such violence.

In short, the lesson was that terror would spark not revulsion but political gain, not universal abhorrence but a desire to delve into why people who are so oppressed would act this way. And it’s hard not to wonder how things would have been different if the world has reacted differently.