Al Mubadara participates in the commemoration of Rachel Corrie.

 

 

17/3/2003

Gaza

Palestinians carry placards read " No Peace with settlements", and "We ask the International committee to secure protection for the Palestinian unarmed people", while mourners carry a mock coffin of Rachel Corrie, 23, from Olympia, Wash., a member of the "International Solidarity Movement" during a memorial services in Gaza city, Monday March 17, 2003. Corrie was run over and crushed to death by an Israeli army bulldozer Sunday, March 16, 2003 while she was trying to stop it from tearing down a building in the Rafah refugee camp, witnesses said. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

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.

(source www.palsolidarity.org)

 

STATEMENT ON THE MURDER OF RACHEL CORRIE  here

Other News here