Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, April 2013, Page 54

Human Rights

Rachel Corrie’s Parents Reflect On Israeli Court Case

TEN YEARS AGO this March, Rachel Corrie, a 23-year-old peace activist from Olympia, WA, was run over and killed by an American-made Israeli bulldozer while attempting to save from demolition the home of a defenseless Palestinian family in Rafah, Gaza. Since her tragic death, Rachel’s parents, Craig and Cindy Corrie, have worked tirelessly to pursue justice for their daughter. On Jan. 17, they appeared at the National Press Club in Washington, DC to reflect on their daughter’s life and on the Aug. 28, 2012 ruling by an Israeli judge that the Jewish state is not responsible for Rachel’s death.

Before the Corries began their remarks, they had the opportunity to talk privately with long-time White House correspondent Helen Thomas. “It was an honor to be able to speak with her,” Cindy Corrie said. “You could always count on Helen for the tough questions.”

Cindy opened the conversation by describing Rachel as a caring and adventurous young woman, “someone who liked to get out into the world and explore new places.” In January 2003, she noted, Rachel arrived in Gaza as a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM). Rachel was shocked at what she saw upon her arrival in Gaza, Cindy said. Like most Americans, she added, her daughter was not fully aware of the profound daily struggle the Palestinian people face.

A key aspect of Rachel’s nonviolent activism was acting as a human shield against Israeli bulldozers attempting to destroy homes in Rafah. On March 16, 2003, Rachel—wearing a bright orange vest—was protecting the home of Samir Nasralla, a respected pharmacist whom she had befriended, when an Israeli bulldozer ran over her. The Israeli military claims that the two soldiers operating the bulldozer never saw Rachel. The peace activist’s colleagues and parents are convinced the soldiers murdered Rachel.

Immediately after Rachel’s death, Cindy said, her family’s top priority was to learn as many details as possible about the incident that killed Rachel. This process of fact-gathering quickly led to frustration, she recalled, as the Israelis were not cooperative or forthcoming. Frequent requests for information made by American officials, including President George Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell, went “unanswered or ignored,” Cindy explained. To this day, she said, the U.S. government, particularly Vice President Joe Biden’s office, continues to monitor the case.

For its part, the Israeli military conducted an internal investigation of Rachel’s death. Not surprisingly, the investigation determined that the operator of the Caterpillar bulldozer was not at fault, Cindy noted, adding that the State Department characterized the review as lacking in thoroughness, credibility and transparency.    

In an effort to force Israeli authorities to provide a more truthful account of Rachel’s death, in 2005 the Corrie’s filed a civil lawsuit against the military. The family asked for a symbolic one shekel (about 25 cents) in damages.

Throughout the trial, Craig Corrie said, the Israeli state consistently presented false or misleading evidence. The state’s witnesses had “incredible inconsistencies in their stories,” he said, noting that “they kept contradicting themselves.” In addition, Craig said, the Israeli military presented doctored video in the courtroom. According to Craig, who has spent countless hours meticulously reviewing footage, the bulldozer shown in the military’s video is not the one that killed Rachel. In the Israeli video, viewers can see individuals carrying stretchers pass by, rushing to the actual location where Rachel lay. But the camera that was monitoring the bulldozer that ran over Rachel was turned away five minutes before she was killed, Craig said.

Despite the many flaws in the state’s case, Cindy noted, Haifa District Court Judge Oded Gershon “completely took the state’s explanation and ignored discrepancies,” ruling that the Israeli state was not responsible for Rachel’s death. “The state and judge never tried to reconcile the differences,” she lamented.

In mid-January, the Corries filed an appeal against Judge Gershon’s ruling.

While he believes that the American public has become more aware of the pain caused by Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine in the decade since Rachel’s death, Craig acknowledged that there still is much work to be done. “You can speak about the cause of Rachel, but you cannot talk about Rachel’s cause,” he said of his interactions with most American politicians.

            —Dale Sprusansky