An unusual trial begins in Israel this week that people around the world will be watching closely. It involves the tragic death of a 23-year-old American student named Rachel Corrie. On March 16, 2003, she was crushed to death by an Israeli military bulldozer.
Corrie was volunteering with the group International Solidarity Movement (ISM), which formed after Israel and the United States rejected a proposal by then-United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson to place international human-rights monitors in the occupied territories. The ISM defines itself as "a Palestinian-led movement committed to resisting the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land using nonviolent, direct-action methods and principles." Israel was building a large steel wall to separate Rafah from Egypt, and was bulldozing homes and gardens to create a "buffer zone." Corrie and seven other ISM activists responded to a call on that March day to protect the home of the Nasrallah family, which was being threatened with demolition by two of the armored Israeli military bulldozers made by the U.S. company Caterpillar.
Cindy Corrie, Rachel's mother, related what happened:
"The bulldozer proceeded toward Rachel. ... She was in her orange jacket. When it kept coming, she rose on the mound, and the eyewitnesses testified that her head rose above the top of the blade of the bulldozer, so she could clearly be seen, but the bulldozer continued and proceeded over her, and so that it was covering her body. It stopped and then reversed, according to the eyewitness testimonies, without lifting its blade, so backed over her once again.
"Her friends were screaming at the bulldozer drivers through this to stop. They rushed to her, and she said to them, 'I think my back is broken.' And those were her final words."
Shortly after Rachel's death, the Corries met with the Bush State Department. It was there that the idea of a civil lawsuit was first presented, by Secretary of State Colin Powell's own chief of staff, Lawrence B. Wilkerson. Craig Corrie, Rachel's father, recalled: "He said: 'If it was my daughter, I'd sue them. I don't care about money. I wouldn't care about anything. I would sue the state of Israel.'" Ultimately, this is what the Corrie family did.
Just before heading to JFK Airport in New York to attend the trial, Craig Corrie told me about the lawsuit: "We're accusing the state of Israel of either intentionally killing Rachel or of gross negligence in her killing seven years ago." The day after Rachel was killed, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon promised President George W. Bush a "thorough, credible and transparent investigation." Yet according to a Human Rights Watch report from 2005, Israel's "investigations into Corrie's killing ... fell far short of the transparency, impartiality, and thoroughness required by international law."
The civil trial, Craig Corrie says, is not about the monetary damages, but to discover information, and "like [South African Archbishop] Desmond Tutu talks about, of mending the tear in society." The Corries never speak solely about their daughter, but about the plight of the Palestinians and the Israeli siege of Gaza. According to the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions' latest figures, 24,145 houses have been demolished in the occupied territories since 1967, including the United Nations estimate of 4,247 houses demolished during "Operation Cast Lead," the name Israel gave for its military assault on Gaza last year.
Of course, more than houses were destroyed there. More than 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed. The Corries also express concern about the psychological toll exacted on Israeli soldiers. Craig Corrie said, "We lost Rachel, and that hurts every day, but that bulldozer driver lost a lot of his humanity when he crushed Rachel."
The trial begins during the same week that Joe Biden makes his first trip to Israel as vice president. As chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Biden sought answers on the death of Rachel Corrie during the confirmation of U.S. Ambassador to Israel James Cunningham. Biden knows the pain of losing a daughter. His daughter was killed with his first wife in a car accident in 1972.
The Corries are calling on people around the world to stand with them on March 16, the anniversary of Rachel's death, for truth, accountability and justice, "to raise and highlight many of the critical issues to which Rachel's case is linked."
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Denis Moynihan contributed research to this column.
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Amy Goodman is the host of "Democracy Now!," a daily international TV/radio news hour airing on more than 800 stations in North America. She is the author of "Breaking the Sound Barrier," recently released in paperback and now a New York Times best-seller.
© 2010 Amy Goodman
Follow Amy Goodman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/democracynow
Ms. Corrie flew half way around the world to enter a hot battle zone and put herself in front of a 40,000-lb armored bulldozer. She either did this to protect a shanty house (one side) or, to protect a tunnel whereby Oslo-banned munitions were being smuggled (the pro-Israeli explanation). Now her parents want to sue the government of Israel and/or the company who built the bulldozer? If they win, it will only prove one thing. Justice is available to Americans in Israel that would definitely not be available to Americans in the United States court system. In the USA, the Army could send the bulldozer to one's home while people are sleeping inside and the chances of winning anything in court would be zero--on the very best day.
Whose to blame - rock throwing students - poorly trained weekend warriors (many of whom were students -) - out of touch commanders. You could blame all or none but most likely confusion - wrong time wrong place or any number of reasons - all these years later - the only thing I do know is four families lost their children.
Me - as a student, protestor and army reservist - I see it from all sides and to this day there is no clarity.
Though I diagree with her politics and the stance of ISM -
I feel bad for her and her family - but clarity and satisfaction in something as tragic as this will not happen.
No ones to blame - yet everyone is to blame!
Times change. Society changes. Winners change. Losers Change. Human nature rarely changes.
The crisis in the Middle East is, first and foremost, a crisis of defective and missing information. It can never be repaired so long as everyone remains content (perhaps even pleased) with their defective information. Those who write extensively including copius details, names, dates, places, are marginalized or rejected out-of-hand as 'shills' or biased.
The Devil is definately NOT in the details. That saying came up relating to mutual solutions being impeaded by detailed information. But these were never solutions in the first place. They were pretenses of solutions.
The truth shall set us free.
Nothing you posted proved to me that Israel intentionally bombed the Liberty knowing it was an American ship."
Are you daft? I posted a pic of the actual ship with its actual huge US flag flying from the mast. Are you actually saying you believe not one of the thirty or so fighter pilots, not to mention the recon crews also photographed by the actual people on board the US vessel, nor the recon ships also photographed in my links, saw that US flag? Is that what you're saying, because if so, please go ahead and say it. My case will be closed and shut for good when it comes you arguing with you, I promise.
from the source DC quoted.
"At approximately 0600, the first of eight Israeli reconnaissance aircraft were noted by the USS Libertycrew. During the first over flight,. the Israeli observer communicated to Israeli Naval HQ a "US Navy cargo type ship" with markings of GTR-5 was located just outside Israeli coastal radar coverage. This information was forwarded to the Israeli navy intelligence directorate. Later in the morning, using Jane's Fighting Ships, the Israelis established the identity of the ship as the USS Liberty.30 Once the USS Liberty was identified, staff officers at Israeli HQ in Haifa changed the label from red (unidentified) to green (neutral) on the plot board."
try reading this line one more time...there is no comparison between Corrie and Gadahn...Zero...
on the other hand if you compare Goldstein the person who massacred Palestinians and has a shrine dedicated to him with Gadahn and Americans supporting him that would be a real shame...
Remember the Chinese man facing the line of tanks? If he'd been run over, does anyone think it would have been called anything but 'murder'? Would anyone have bought the line 'the driver just didn't see him'? Would anyone have blamed him for his death?
But somehow, what would be crystal clear if it happened in China becomes muddied and murky because it happened in Israel.
(BTW, remember that the Chinese soldier refused to put that man's life in danger, but the Israeli one made a different choice, even though the two of them risked much different consequences for their decisions)
(BTW, talk to any heavy equipment operator, they'll tell you that if they know people are close to their machinery, and they've lost sight of them, doing anything but STOPPING is considered criminal negligence)
http://www.ussliberty.org/gifs.htm
http://www.ussliberty.org/g/lg/lg0016.jpg
1. Military action can be taken only against military targets.
2. The use of force must be proportional.
3. Soldiers may only use weaponry they were issued by the IDF.
4. Anyone who surrenders cannot be attacked.
5. Only those who are properly trained can interrogate prisoners.
6. Soldiers must accord dignity and respect to the Palestinian population and those arrested.
7. Soldiers must give appropriate medical care, when conditions allow, to themselves and to enemies.
8. Pillaging is absolutely and totally illegal.
9. Soldiers must show proper respect for religious and cultural sites and artifacts.
10. Soldiers must protect international aid workers, including their property and vehicles.
11. Soldiers must report all violations of this code.
All 11 Codes of Military Conduct (with the exception only of No.8) were apparently deliberately violated by the Israeli forces in December 2008 and January 2009 in their attack against the civilian population of Gaza.
Yet no action is known to have been taken against the men and commanders responsible for the reported violations that resulted in the alleged killings of 320 children and 112 women that were committed over the six week attack.
If the Israeli government and its military commanders cannot control the actions of their forces, then not only are the Palestinians (and the Lebanese) at further risk of death and destruction but also all of Israel’s neighbours and the wider world.
Have you checked it against actual incidents in which, journalists have been killed by IDF fire?
Israel has a wonderful founding document. Has it been followed in Israeli practice, not so much.
People killed on own land:
Israeli: 584 (54.5%)
Palestinian: 6,217 (98.9%)
People killed on others' land:
Israeli: 487 (45.5%)
Palestinian: 71 (1.1%)
http://www.ifamericansknew.org/stats/deaths.html
What one thinks of the group she worked with is irrelevant. What one thinks of her is irrelevant. The case is not about her or her cause.
If a young woman died through an accident or intent. We will never know. Her family is seeking some sort of truth, justice, retribution through the Israeli courts in the country of her death. This may be difficult as so far much evidence has been obstructed, it seems.
I am sorry for all parents who loose their children, especially at the hands of violence, wars, accident.
Please don't stand in front of bulldozers, they aren't as nimble as a Prius, or as easy to drive.
If driving a bulldozer, please remember your blind spot is in front of the blade. Raise and lower as needed to confirm the coast is clear before proceding.
Additionally, the visibility argument has been used before, most recently at the deliberate bom.bing of the UN observers' post in Leb/anon. Clearly marked, flagged, electronically notified, and yet one of the most sophisticated military forces in the world "didn't see them there". It is a convenient excuse, just plausible enough if you don't consider the facts but transparent enough (pun intended) to convey the unmistakable threat that they may do anything they like to anyone, UN or US forces included, without fear.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/950394.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Liberty_incident
There is a tremendous amount of misinformation about Rachel's motives and actions. Many people simply don't know what they are talking about. I am from Olympia and have followed the case since day one. I wish people would be more educated before they speak. Israel promised the State Dept and the Corries a full and transparent investigation which has yet to happen. Israels report contradicts eyewitness reports and their own footage. I support the Corries in seeking the truth. They are honorable people who are trying to do right by their daughter and the Palestinians she stood in solidarity with.
I have met the people she died protecting. They are not terrorists. They are a family like any other. With children and pets. They came to the US on a speaking tour. They could not believe someone would leave the paradise of Olympia to come help them. Rachel has taught many Palestinians the value of non violent activism, she continues to inspire 7 years
I agree. Let a court decide.
I just viewed today's program of "Democracy Now" with the Corries & their other daughter. It was very moving, especially how they were able to relate their grief to the wider picture of other families, some British, many Palestinian who also have lost loved ones. I was very touched. I am glad the topic of the culpability of Caterpillar was discussed as it is disappointing that any corporation would continue to make money by selling equipment that is used to destroy the homes of literally thousands of families. That is something to think about, working in marketing, sales or on the assembly line & knowing how your product could be used by another society to punish those whom it controls by occupation & siege.
I would hope any employee would not have to read in the newspaper or an article like Amy's here that their product is used to destroy the home of even one family in Palestine, yet alone being involved in the death of an American woman. My family extends our sincere condolences to the Corries & Rachel's sister, Sarah. We also wish that they find justice in the Israeli court system.