THE decision of an Israeli court to reject that the Israeli army and state were in any way responsible for the 2003 Israeli army murder by bulldozer of American peace activist Rachel Corrie, is yet another reminder of the complete ruthlessness of the Zionist state.
After all, its architects bombed their way to the state of Israel, including the bombing of the King David Hotel when many British soldiers were killed, before massacring Palestinians in villages like Deir Yassin to establish the state of Israel in 1948, turning hundreds of thousands of Palestinians into refugees, and then repeating the operation in 1967.
Since then, the settling of Palestine using mass killings and the most brutal treatment of men, women and children, down to demolishing their homes, schools and hospitals, has been the rule.
The occupation of Palestine began in 1948, was extended in 1967 and has now lasted for 64 years of mass murder and land theft.
Rachel Corrie was murdered on 16 March 2003, crushed under an Israeli military bulldozer while trying to halt the demolition of a Palestinian home in Rafah.
The lawsuit, filed by Corrie’s parents Cindy and Craig, accused the Israeli military of either unlawfully or intentionally killing Rachel or of gross negligence. The family had claimed a symbolic $1 (63p) in damages and legal expenses.
In its ruling the court however did admit that the killing had taken place during ‘war time actions’, that is during the demolition of Palestinian homes in Gaza, that is the war against the Palestinian people.
The fact that a US citizen was the victim of this war crime did not disturb the US adminstration at the time and has not disturbed the Obama administration to this day.
To add salt to the wounds of the Corrie family, Israeli soldiers who had signed testimonies about the events couldn’t remember them in court. The driver of the bulldozer who killed Rachel could not remember her name in court or the date of the incident.
Four eyewitnesses from the International Solidarity Movement testified that Rachel was visible to soldiers in the bulldozer as it approached, but since they were assisting the ‘enemy’ in a war time operation their testimony was ignored.
The family was ‘deeply saddened and deeply troubled’ by the ruling, Cindy Corrie said at a press conference afterwards. ‘I believe this was a bad day, not only for our family, but for human rights, humanity, the rule of law and also for the country of Israel.’
The state had, she said, employed a ‘well-heeled system’ to protect its soldiers and provide them with immunity. ‘As a family, we’ve had to push for answers, accountability and justice.’
Hussein Abu Hussein, the family’s lawyer, said: ‘This verdict is yet another example of where impunity has prevailed over accountability and fairness. Rachel Corrie was killed while non-violently protesting home demolitions and injustice in Gaza, and today, this court has given its stamp of approval to flawed and illegal practices that failed to protect civilian life.’
We send our condolences to the family of Rachel Corrie, one of a long list of martyrs who have given their lives fighting for an end to the occupation of Palestine.
Rachel Corrie, her bravery and self- sacrifice, has inspired millions and will never be forgotten.
We urge the workers and poor of Israel, who are now demonstrating against being robbed by the Zionist big chiefs, to join hands with the Palestinian masses and remember Rachel Corrie and all of the martyrs of the Palestinian struggle by establishing a Palestinian state in which Arabs, Jews and Christians will be able to live in peace and prosperity, side by side.
