Munich is a epic historical drama film produced and directed by Steven Spielberg , co-written by Tony Kushner and Eric Roth. It is based on the book Vengeance by George Jonas , an account of Mossad assassinations following the Munich massacre. At the Summer Olympics in Munich , the Palestinian militant group Black September carried out a terrorist attack resulting in the deaths of 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team.
Avner Kaufman, a Mossad agent of German-Jewish descent, is chosen to lead a mission to assassinate 11 Palestinians allegedly involved in the massacre. At the direction of his handler Ephraim, to give the Israeli government plausible deniability , Kaufman resigns from Mossad and operates with no official ties to Israel. His team includes four Jewish volunteers from around the world: South African driver Steve, Belgian toy-maker and explosives expert Robert, former Israeli soldier and " cleaner " Carl, and German antique dealer and document forger Hans from Frankfurt.
They are given information by a French informant, Louis, whose family's history is connected to the French Resistance. In Rome , the team shoots and kills Wael Zwaiter , who is living as a poet. In Paris , they detonate a bomb in the home of Mahmoud Hamshari.
Between hits, the assassins argue with each other about the morality and logistics of their mission, expressing fear about their individual lack of experience, as well as their apparent ambivalence about accidentally killing innocent bystanders. Avner makes a brief visit to his wife, who has given birth to their first baby. Avner has a heartfelt conversation with PLO member Ali over their homelands and who deserves to rule over the lands.
Ali is later shot by Carl while the team escapes from the hit on Muchasi. The squad moves on to London to track down Ali Hassan Salameh , who orchestrated the Munich massacre, but the assassination attempt is interrupted by several drunken Americans. It is implied that these are agents of the CIA , which, according to Louis, protects and funds Salameh in exchange for his promise not to attack United States diplomats.
