Germany reaches compensation deal with 1972 Olympics victims' families

Germany has reached a compensation deal with relatives of Israelis killed in an attack on the 1972 Munich Olympics, a German government spokesman said on Wednesday, days before the 50th anniversary of the atrocity.

The agreement meant that victims' families, who had earlier said they would boycott a commemoration ceremony on Monday in Munich, would attend the event, government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said.

Separately, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his Israeli counterpart Isaac Herzog issued a joint statement saying they would both be at the ceremony.

"We are happy and relieved that an agreement on historical clarification, recognition and compensation has been reached shortly before the 50th anniversary and before the state visit of the Israeli president in Germany," they said in a statement.

"The agreement cannot heal all wounds. But it opens a door to each other," the presidents said.

They added that with the deal, the German state acknowledges its "responsibility and recognises the terrible suffering of those killed and their relatives".

Under the deal reached, Germany would pay 28 million euros (dollars) for the "suffering of the victims' families".

Germany will also declassify documents related to hostage-taking and the botched rescue operation.

Members of the Palestinian group Black September broke into the Olympic Village, killed two athletes from Israel’s national team and took nine more hostage on September 5, 1972. The attackers hoped to force the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel as well as individuals in West German jails.

All nine hostages and a West German police officer died during a rescue attempt by German forces.

Relatives of the athletes accuse Germany of failing to secure the Olympic Village, refusing Israeli help and then botching the rescue operation.