http://indymedia.org.il
ISM Statement on the Murder of Rachel CorrieMonday 17 Mar 2003
author: ISM
summary
At about 5.20 pm today Rachel Corrie from Olympia in Washington State, USA died of her injuries in A-Najar Hospital in Rafah after being deliberately run over by an Israeli military bulldozer.
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Rafah: Rachel Corrie Murdered by Israeli
Army
At about 5.20 pm today Rachel Corrie from Olympia in
Washington
State, USA died of her injuries in A-Najar Hospital in Rafah
after
being deliberately run over by an Israeli military
bulldozer.
Rachel had been working as an ISM activist in Rafah for seven
weeks
when she was killed trying to prevent the demolition of Palestinian
homes and property in the Hi Salaam area of Rafah.
The
confrontation between the ISM and the Israeli Army had been
under way for
two hours when Rachel was run over. Rachel and the
other activists had
clearly identified themselves as unarmed
international peace activists
throughout the confrontation.
The Israeli Army are attempting to
dishonour her memory by claiming
that Rachel was killed accidentally when
she ran in front of the
bulldozer. Eye-witnesses to the murder insist
that this is totally
untrue. Rachel was sitting in the path of the
bulldozer as it
advanced towards her. When the bulldozer refused to
stop or turn
aside she climbed up onto the mound of dirt and rubble being
gathered in front of it wearing a fluorescent jacket to look
directly at
the driver who kept on advancing. The bulldozer
continued to advance
so that she was pulled under the pile of dirt
and rubble. After she
had disappeared from view the driver kept
advancing until the bulldozer was
completely on top of her. The
driver did not lift the bulldozer blade
and so she was crushed
beneath it. Then the driver backed off and the
seven other ISM
activists taking part in the action rushed to dig out her
body. An
ambulance rushed her to A-Najar hospital where she
died.
Rachel joins 1,900 Palestinians who have been killed by Israeli
soldiers and settlers since September 2000,
For further information
contact:
• Tom on +972
52 694 380
• Joe
on +972 67 628 507 or
• Nick on +972 55 874
693
Rachel had been staying in Palestinian homes
threatened with illegal demolition, and today Rachel was standing with other
non-violent international activists in front of a home scheduled for illegal
demolition. According to witnesses, Rachel was run over twice by the Israeli
military bulldozer in its process of demolishing the Palestinian home.
Witnesses say that Rachel was clearly visible to the bulldozer driver, and was
doing nothing to provoke an attack.
The photos below clearly show that Rachel was well marked,
had a megaphone, and posed no threat to the bulldozer driver.
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| A clearly marked Rachel Corey, holding a megaphone, confronts an Israeli bulldozer driver attempting to demolish a Palestinian home, Rafah, Occupied Gaza, 16 March 2003. (ISM Handout) |
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| Other peace activists tend to Rachel after being injured by the Israeli bulldozer driver, Rafah, Occupied Gaza, 16 March 2003. (ISM Handout) |
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| Rachel Corey lies on the ground fatally injured by the Israeli bulldozer, Rafah, Occupied Gaza, 16 March 2003. (ISM Handout) |
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| Colleagues of Rachel comfort each other in Najjar hostpital, Rafah, Occupied Gaza. Ha'aretz newspaper reported that a second activist was also injured at the same location. ( face=Arial>Mohammad Al-Moghair face=Arial>) |
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| Rachel Corey (ISM Handout) |
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