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Posted by Karl Zetterberg on March 19, 19103 at 12:19:36:
A Story of Racha COREY; "Revolutionary martyr of International Solidarity
Movement, who pulled by the Fascist Occupational Gang USraeli bulldozers..."
**
- Peace activist killed, reports by FM Channel Independent Laponia..
- Let's listen!..
- Rachel Corrie (called Racha), the 23-year-old girl killed on March 16, 2003
belonged to the ISM, International Solidarity Movement whose declared mission
is to end "Israeli occupation in Palestine through non-violent means." Corrie,
from Olympia, Washington and other protesters were in Palestine to try search
possibilites to stop the macre and demolishing.
The ISM said: "When the bulldozer refused to stop or turn aside, (Corrie)
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.Drivefr backed and pulled her twice..." At least 2000
Palestinians have been killed since the uprising Second Intifada began.
- What is the first treactions of peace activists?
- Starhawk prepared a letter and we signed..
- Read it to us and our listeners, please!
- International Solidarity Movement Activist Killed in Gaza by Israeli Forces...
Today a young woman was killed in Gaza. Young women, but more often young men,
get killed in Gaza and the West Bank every day, and the world pays no attention.
What was different today is that Rachel Corrie was an American, an activist with
the International Solidarity Movement, the group that I'm here with in occupied
Palestine. And her death is a particularly horrifying example of the cold
blooded dehumanization that characterizes this occupation. Rachel was trying to
stop the demolition of a Palestinian home in Rafah, Gaza According to the other
activists who were with her, she was in dialogue with the operator in the spirit
of nonviolence that is a guiding principle of the ISM, which provides support
for Palestinian civilians and for nonviolent efforts to bring about justice for
Palestine. She climbed up on the bulldozer, to talk to the soldier in the
pit. She climbed down. She sat in front of the bulldozer. The soldier in
control of the huge machine drove it deliberately over her.
Rachel was twenty three years old. I am trying to fathom the mind that could
pull the levers and gun the motor to crush the life out of her young body. That
choice, that deliberate act of murder that ended her sweet life, seems
incomprehensible. But here in occupied Palestine, that murder seems a logical
outgrowth of the system of total dehumanization that controls every aspect of
life, that cannot see the human being in the Palestinian, that claims to be
fighting terror by institutionalizing it.
Please register your outrage—at Rachel's murder, at the home demolitions that
she was trying to stop, at the occupation that can only be defended by
brutalizing a whole people.
Call the Ministry of Defense
972 3 6955476
(011972 3 6955476) from the US
972 3 69 75 220
(011972) 3 69 75 220 from the US
Fax the Foreign Office
972 2 5303506
011972 530 3506
General Director: Phone
972 2 530 7704
011972 2 530 3506 (from the US)
Call or demonstrate or shut down the Israeli Emby or you local consulate.
- Broadcasting continues by any selected speechs of Rachel CORRIE
- Statement March 16, 2003
Craig and Cindy Corrie, parents of Rachel Corrie
We are now in a period of grieving and still finding out the details behind the
death of Rachel in the Gaza Strip.
We have raised all our children to appreciate the beauty of the global community
and family and are proud that Rachel was able to live her convictions. Rachel
was filled with love and a sense of duty to her fellow man, wherever they lived.
And, she gave her life trying to protect those that are unable to protect
themselves.
Rachel wrote to us from the Gaza Strip and we would like to release to the media
her experience in her own words at this time.
Thank you.
Excerpts from an e-mail from Rachel Corrie to her family on February 7, 2003.
I have been in Palestine for two weeks and one hour now, and I still have very
few words to describe what
- Overview of events in Gaza since Feb 14th
Gaza
Rachel Corrie
28 Feb 03
This is a large general update on the activities of ISM Rafah over the course of
the last two weeks. In the interest of context and doentatio' some
information on violence throughout the Gaza strip is included in this report.
The information include' beyond the immediate experiences of internationals in
the are' comes from the international medi' or eyewitness reports received by
internationals in Rafah. This is not a complete record of deaths and house
demolitions occurring in the Gaza strip since 10th February. Dozens have been
killed here in the last two weeks. House demolitions have occurred. Dozens of
greenhouses and other agricultural plots have been destroyed by tanks and
bulldozers. The six-to-eight internationals working in Rafah during the last two
weeks have not been able to keep up.
The initial part of this report includes updates on the major projects ISM
internationals in Rafah have been pursuing:
1. Human shield work with the Rafah Municipal Water Authority (Leading to ISM
activists coming under fire).
2. Direct action work aimed at stopping or hindering the destruction of houses
by Israeli occupation force bulldozers along the border strip in Rafah. 3.
Demonstrations in conjunction with community groups and individuals living in
Rafah.
4. Investigation into human rights violations at the Mowasi-Tufah checkpoin' and
in the case of men killed in tunnels near Salah El Dinn gate in Rafa' and in the
case of the invasion of the agricultural El Hash-Ash area of Rafah on Sunday the
23rd.
These updates are followed by a brief calendar of events recorded since the
tenth of February. Sorr' everybod' for the stress on your inboxes.
1. Human shield work continues with Rafah Municipal Water workers
February 2' 2003
Internationals in Rafah have been continuing support work with workers from the
Rafah Municipal Water Authority since Sunday 16th Februar' following a break due
to the Eid holiday. ISM-Rafah continues to send internationals to sleep at a
third well in the immediate vicinity in order to protect it from destruction.
The workers are currently building a barrier surrounding the "Canada Well
(#P-144' in the Canada-Tel El Sultan area of Rafah. This wel' along with the El
Iskan Well (#P-152) was destroyed by Israeli military bulldozers on 30th
January. On several occasion' the internationals have witnessed shooting from
military vehicles on the settler road which pes along the northwestern edge
of the sand-dunes and agricultural areas on the outskirts of Rafah. Bullets have
not hit the ground or objects in the immediate vicinity of the workers or
international' a change from previous human shield actions with the water
workers.
According to the Rafah Municipal Water Authorit' the Canada Well had a capacity
of 180 cubic metres of water per hour—35% of Rafah's total water supply. The two
wells destroyed were the largest of six in Rafa' providing about 60% of Rafah's
total municipal water supply.
The Municipal Water office has made attempts to compensate somewhat for the
emergenc' by connecting the municipal wells with a private agricultural well
which is owned by local farmers. The municipality also redistributed the
remaining water according to district' implementing a strict program in which
each district has access to water for six hours a day.
The Canada Well cost US $25'000 at the time of its construction in 1990. Its
construction was funded by the Rafah municipality. The El Iskan well was
implemented by the Canadian International Development Agency—at a cost of US
$20'000 in 1999. The municipality reports receiving $4'000 from the World Bank
through the Local Affairs Ministry to repair the two wells. All of this money
was used in the construction of fences and protective structures surrounding the
well site. The municipality estimates that $30'000 will be needed to repair the
Canada wel' and $10'000 is needed to repair the El Iskan well. The municipality
is waiting for money promised by the Japanes' Canadia' and Norwegian governments
in order to restore the wells to capacity.
Workers at the well reported being fired upon on Thursday 27th February.
Saturda' a Municipal Water Authority spokesman reported speaking directly with
the Israeli District Command Office. He declared that he had co-ordinated with
occupation forces in the area in order to ensure the safety of the Palestinian
workers.
Despite receiving this permissio' and in spite of the presence of banners and
megaphone' the activists and workers were fired upon several times over a period
of about one hour. One of the bullets came within two metres of three
internationals and a municipal water worke' close enough to spray bits of debris
in their faces as it landed at their feet.
This well is located within sight of the Rafah-Mowasi checkpoin' settlement
buildings and greenhouse' bunkers in the militarized zone surrounding the
checkpoin' a low sniper tower to the south and a very tall sniper tower in the
distance to the north. The activists were unable to locate the precise origin of
the shots amongst the various occupation forces .
2. Internationals continue to take direct action aimed at hindering the
demolition of civilian homes by Occupation Forces
Rafah continues to witness the destruction of homes and agriculture on a daily
basis. The activists confront barriers to direct action work in most of these
cases. These barriers manifest themselves in several ways.
Firs' limited numbers of internationals are attempting to respond to demolition
which occurs without warning allover the edges of Rafa' a city of about 14'000
people. The most recent house demolitions witnessed were accompanied by the
amment of 20 tanks nearby in the border strip. There are currently seven
international ISM activists working in Rafah.
Secondl' with a few exception' house demolitions in Rafah are carried out by
bulldozers and tanks—which fire into the houses or begin to demolish them as
notification to the inhabitants of their arrival. Many of the homes destroyed
are empt' because the inhabitants have fled with their belongings after
experiencing gunfire through windows and walls and the partial bulldozing of
their houses. The homes here are not targeted because of any connection with
suicide bombing' but because of their existence along an area which the Israeli
army finds strategically useful. Thus there is little predictability about which
homes will be destroyed nex' and no opportunity for direct contact with the army
in order to negotiate or notify them of the presence of internationals in the
homes.
Much of the destruction occurs at night. Many of the streets of Rafah are
impable in the dark due to sniper towers positioned along the perimeters of
Rafah. In the dar' internationals attempting to carry out non-violent direct
action rely on battery-charged light' banner' and the accuracy of unknown local
collaborators to make the Israeli military aware of their location.
Another factor in attempting to stop the destruction of a home is a variable
factor: the question of whether the driver of a particular tank cares about
injuring internationals in the process of destroying the welfare of the
Palestinians living here.
On the afternoon of Friday 14th Februar' seven internationals responded to
reports of house demolitions in the block O are' with support from Palestinian
organizers. They encountered two bulldozers and a tan' which fired shots around
the internationals that seemed directed at Palestinians in nearby alleys. The
internationals stood in the path of the bulldozer and were physically pushed
with the shovel backward' taking shelter in a house. The bulldozer then
proceeded on its cours' demolishing one side of the house with the
internationals inside. The driver then dropped a sound grenade out of the cab of
the bulldoze' and continued to demolish the hous' at which point the activists
were able to escap' amid gunfire from the tank.
The next day activists responded to reports of house-demolition in the same area
and approached a bulldozer while identifying themselves by megaphone and
banners. They were unable to position themselves between the bulldozer and
nearby structure' and were beckoned away from the frontline by Palestinians in
the area.
On the 11th and 12th and from the 21st till 23r' internationals arrived on the
scene of demolitions (home' greenhouses and a mosque) too late to respond. This
is in addition to house demolitions which the internationals discovered several
days after the event.
On the afternoon of 23rd Februar' six internationals achieved some success in
interrupting the work of a bulldozer and a tank demolishing houses in the
vicinity of Salah El Dinn gate.
The internationals arrived in the "Sha'ar" area near Salah El Dinn gate in the
late afternoo' and found the bulldozer completing the demolition of a house and
chicken-coop near the border strip. Palestinians in the area requested the
internationals to do whatever they could to try to stop further destruction. The
group approached the bulldozer and tank from the sid' carrying banners and
announcing their presence by megaphone. Although the tank moved into their pat'
the internationals were able to manoeuvre into the path of the bulldoze' at
which point it moved to a nearby house and began to demolish a garden wall.
The tank again moved between the internationals and the bulldozer. The group
split briefly while one member of the group moved onto the porch of the house
from the back. The remaining internationals stood within several metres of the
tan' which began to fire machine guns near the' close enough that one
international was pelted with small brick fragments when bullets hit the wall
next to her. The international on the porch led the way for the others to climb
over the wall and into the house. They then proceeded to the roof. The bulldozer
moved back to its previous work destroying a chicken coop and hitting the edges
of other small civilian structures.
Two internationals remained on the roo' while the remaining four proceeded back
toward the bulldozer. The tank again fired a stream of bullets in their pat' but
desisted as the internationals continued to walk forwar' reminding the tank by
megaphone of the clear absence of any threat to the vehicle' of international
la' and of the right of human beings to housing and livelihoods.
As the internationals positioned themselves in the bulldozer's pat' the tank and
the bulldozer turned eastward and withdrew behind walls into the border strip
some distance away. The four internationals followed the tank and bulldozer to
the edge of the border stri' fearful for the homes of friends in the direction
the vehicles headed.
The internationals returned to the partially demolished house and helped the
family living there carry their belongings—beddin' furnitur' family portrait'
dishe' vase' all the elements of a family home—into a house nearby. Four
internationals remained overnight with the family in the house where the
furniture was relocated.
The activists involved felt they had some success in this actio' as they were at
least able to delay the work of the bulldozers in demolishing houses.
On 24th February at approximately 9 p' on their way back to the Sha'ar area for
another nigh' ISM activists received notification that the bulldozers had
returned. Despite sprinting to the locatio' the internationals arrived in time
only to see the last of this family's house completely churned into the eart' as
the mother of the family wep' looking on.
Internationals continue homestays in the Sha'ar area.
Immediately adjacent to the Israeli military's Salah Eh Dinn sniper towe' from
which two boys were shot and injured today while playing in the street.
The families in the area believe that they may be the target of house
demolitions very soo' as collective punishment for their proximity to tunnels
which run from Rafah into Egypt.
All of the homes which the internationals sleep in have bullet or shell holes in
the walls. From the kitchen window of one apartment where a woman prepared tea
for the grou' the most immediate object in view is the eastern window of the
sniper towe' about 100 metres away. The internationals observed several holes in
the kitchen wall—apparently from shots fired into the kitchen window. The
internationals have attached banners and stood on the roofs of some of the
buildings with megaphones in order to make their continuing presence known to
Israeli occupation forces in the sniper towe' as there is a recent history of
houses demolished in Rafah by rockets fired from towers at a distance.
Sleeping in houses such as these on the front lin' with the constant sound of
machinery moving outside in the border strip and frequent gunfire from tank'
internationals report seeing small children get out of bed in the night in
terror to come sit close to their parent' and report experiencing nightmares of
their own homes being demolished. Internationals her' who can walk in front of
tanks on Palestinian land without being kille' feel some degree of impotence in
the face of this mive destruction of civilian homes. We can only imagine what
it is like for Palestinians living her' most of them already once-or-twice
refugees alread' for whom this is not a nightmar' but a continuous reality from
which international privilege cannot protect the' and from which they have no
economic means to escape.
The Palestinians and internationals in ISM-Rafah are still discussing strategy
about how to use their members most effectively.
3. Demonstrations in conjunction with community groups and individuals living in
Rafah:
In the last two weeks internationals and Palestinians in ISM Rafah have
participated in two spirited demonstrations in solidarity with the people of
Ira' and against United States and British policy in Iraq and Palestine. The
first demonstration took place on 15th Februar' in conjunction with
demonstrations around the worl' and was attended by about 150 people. Reports on
this demonstration have already been released widely.
The second demonstration occurred on February 23r' and was attended by
thousands. ISM was invited to participate in the planning of this demonstration
by the Rafah National Committee for Development and Service' but planning for
the event was a coalition effort on the part of many community groups and
individuals. These include the Fateh Youth Parliamen' the Rafah Popular Refugee
Committe' the Rafah Children's Parliamen' the General Union of Palestinian Wome'
numerous Rafah area school groups and many others.
ISMers drafted a joint letter in conjunction with the Youth Parliament
addressing the inalienable rights of all childre' and the denial of these rights
to children in Iraq and Palestine. They also called upon the international
community to apply equal standards to all states regarding to compliance with UN
resolutions. Copies of this letter were distributed in Arabic and English at the
demonstratio' and are available from:
ismrafah@yahoo.co.uk
The demonstration began at 11 and lasted about an hour. Children and
representatives from community groups gave speeches in Arabic. Mes marched
carrying signs and banners that said "Peace for children in Palestine and Iraq"
and "The real terrorists are in the United States and Israel\' among many other
statements against war on Ira' and in support of the Iraqi people. The
internationals recognized symbols and banners from numerous school and
community-group' Fate' DFL' FID' PFL' Hamas and many individual demonstrators
among those marching.
One international delivered a speech in Englis' translated into Arabic by one of
the Palestinian coordinators of ISM-Rafah. This speech decried the behaviour of
the United States' and British government' recognized the linkage between war on
Iraq and increased destruction of Palestinian live' and also recognized the m
mobilization of people around the world on behalf of peac' justic' and human
rights. The international thanked the Palestinian people for offering a
continuous example to the rest of the world of resistance against all odds.
As this speech was delivere' a British national burned a large British fla' and
a US national burned a large US flag. Both activists then burned numerous images
of US president George W. Bush. The woman who deliverd the speech burned a
picture of the houses of Parliament in London. As the speech concluded they
began to chan' with the crowd immediately surrounding the' "Hurriyah la
Falasteen" –Freedom for Palestine—repeatedly.
Other groups burned a giant papier-maché model of an F-16 bombe' an effigy of
Ariel Sharo' as well as giant Israel' U' and British flags.
4. Investigation and Doentation of Human Rights Violations
Mowasi-Tufah:
From 11th to 13th of Februar' internationals working with ISM made initial
investigative visits to the Mowasi-Tufah checkpoin' located between Khan Younis
and the closed village of Mowasi. On their first visi' at approximately 1:15 on
February 11t' internationals found a group of Palestinians waiting at a road
block within site of the checkpoint. Some of these people reported that they had
been waiting there since 7 am. Many of the Palestinians there were fearful of
talking to international' due to the threat of reprisals from occupation forces.
They reported that the Israeli occupation forces stationed at the checkpoint
told them that the checkpoint would open at 2 pm. This visit occurred on the
most significant day of Ei' a major Muslim holiday during which most
Palestinians in Rafah spend extensive time visiting their families.
At 2:40 pm a voice over a megaphone spoke from amongst the structures
surrounding the checkpoint. And a small group of five men proceeded forward to a
yellow sign approximately half way between the roadblock and the checkpoint.
After a period of 5-10 minutes a voice from the megaphone ushered these men
forward through a corridor of cement blocks. The internationals could clearly
see machine guns pointed in the direction of the roadblock from bunkers adjacent
to the checkpoint.
A slow stream of women and me' apparently in their 40's and 50'' accompanied
sometimes by small childre' came out from behind the checkpoint through a
similar corridor that runs between the checkpoint and a mive concrete wall to
the south. The Palestinians at the checkpoint reported that only children under
te' women over 35 and men over 40 are allowed to enter or leave Mowasi. One
young woman reported that she lives in Mowas' but has been unable to return
there for three months. She was among those waiting at the checkpoint since 7
am.
The internationals observed that groups of five people—alternately women and
men—were allowed through the checkpoint at intervals of 10-25 minutes. They
witnessed one group of women turned back entirely after a man came out from the
roadblock to speak to the' which precipitated some shouting over the megaphones.
On subsequent visits to the Mowasi Tufah checkpoint internationals reported
attempting to enter Mowas' and being denied entry by the Israeli soldiers
stationed there. They described the security inside of the checkpoint as
equivalent with that of an international airport.
23rd February Israeli occupation force invasion of El Hash-Ash Area
On the afternoon of 23rd February ISM activists in Rafah received reports of a
siege in the El Hash-Ash agricultural community on the North-Western side of
Rafah. Internationals were unable to respond immediately to this repor' due to
immersion in direct action against house demolitions described above. Reports
received at the time reported seeing Israeli soldiers on foot in El Hash-As'
with the entire area under the control of the occupation force' and gunfire and
demolitions in progress. At approximately 7.30p' the group received notification
that the occupation forces had withdrawn from the area.
On 24th Februar' three internationals went to the El Hash-Ash area in order to
doent the destruction there and interview people who had been present the
previous night. The area they entered appeared largely agricultura' with small
one-and two-storey dwellings interspersed among the remains of greenhouses.
As they approached the are' they saw large shredded sheets of clear plastic
flapping from the mangled metal skeletons of dozens of greenhouse' leaving the
vegetables inside completely exposed. In most case' the metal frames of the
greenhouses were bent beyond recognition and lying on the groun' crushing the
bean' tomatoe' pea' and cubers which had been growing inside. In other case'
the plants had been torn off their training strings and crushed on the ground. A
smal' one-story concrete-brick house with a corrugated metal roof was also
partially demolished.
A man living in the area reported that he was ordered from his house by soldiers
in tank' along with approximately 150 other males over the age of 14 who live in
the area. The men were herde' by means of machine guns firing around the' out of
the El Hash-Ash area and under a sniper tower at the edge of the nearby Gush
Katif settlement. They were held there for more than three and a half hours
until about 7.30 pm. Several of the men were beate' including six who were
hospitalized.
While the men were hel' 25 large greenhouses were destroyed by tanks and
bulldozers. Residents in the area report that these greenhouses supply the sole
livelihood for 300 people.
Residents had no idea why this attack had taken place.
One man sai' "Maybe they want to expand the settlement." Others stated that
there has never been any resistance activity in this area. "This was our
living."
Events Surrounding the Deaths of 2 Men in Tunnels beneath the Block O area
On 14th Februar' Rafah activists received word that two men were trapped or
possibly killed in tunnels beneath the Block O area on the night of 13th
February. After witnessing the continued presence of a large machine drilling
holes into the ground on the border stri' witnesses also observed ground-shaking
underground explosions. Activists concluded that the tunnels had collapsed due
to Israeli occupation force anti-tunnel activity.
On 14th Februar' the activists received an indirect request from the men's
families to act as human shields in order for the bodies to be brought from
underground safely. These requests were retracted when it was reported that the
Palestinian Authority had negotiated with the Israeli army to allow the family
to recover the bodies themselves. That night family members reported that five
men entered the tunnels in an unsuccessful attempt to recover the bodie' and
that one of these men was arrested by the Israeli occupation forces.
16th Februar' a team of ten men entered the tunnels from holes created at the
surfaceby the Israeli militar' and were successful in recovering the bodies.
They were subsequently all arrested and transported with the bodies by tank to
the Israeli-controlled side of the Rafah-Egypt border checkpoin' according to
their testimony to ISM activists on 18th February.
The men involved in the recovery of the bodies report that they were slapped and
interrogated by IOF officers during their detentio' and forced to sit overnight
outside the buildings at the border checkpoin' in a circle surrounding the
bodie' which they said was difficul' due to the fact that the bodies were in a
state of decay. They report finding fragments of a tear-gas canister in the
tunnel near the bodie' which they carried out of the tunne' and which they
report were confiscated by the soldiers who detained them. They report that when
they found the bodies their skin was discoloured and bubble' and that their
chests were distended. The detainees were released on 17th Februar' as were the
bodies of the two men kille' Zeyad Al Sha'ar and Mohammed Hamed Kishta.
Activists in Rafah continue to seek more information about the cause of death of
these two men.
Brief Calendar of Events
Tuesday 11th February
Underground explosions in Yibna and Rafah due to Israeli Army anti-tunnel bombs.
Group monitore' photographe' and demonstrated presence with banners. Tufah
visits. Internationals witness aftermath of house demolition in Block J and
another large explosion in block J-Yibna area. Abu Holi check point reported
closed after army killed a man there. Principle day of Eid festival.
Wednesday 12th February
Continued underground explosions. Abu Holi closed several hours. Unsuccessful
attempt to enter Mowasi-Tufah. 2 houses demolished in Block-J Eshroot area at 6
pm. Four tank' two bulldozers and back-hoe returned between 9 and 10 pm. No
further demolitions reported. Eid festival continues.
Friday 14th February
Reports received of two men trapped or killed in tunnels. Internationals respond
to house demolition in Block O. Bulldozer partially demolishes house with
internationals inside.
Saturday 15th February
International day of protest. ISMers participate in protest in Rafah. Tank n
up in Northern Gaza strip by resistance forces. Five person team enters tunnel
in unsuccessful attempt to recover bodies. One arrested according to reports
from family.
Sunday 16th February
ISM resumes human shield work in Canada/Tel El Sulta' Rafah after break for Eid
holiday. Ten men arrested and corpses confiscated after recovery from tunnels.
Monday 17th February
Palestinian ISM activist witnesses ination by military plain-clothes
commandos and two tanks on road between Abu Holi and Gaza. Man killed is later
confirmed by international media to be Riyad Abu Zei' a Hamas leader.
Unconfirmed numbers injured. ISMers see smoke rising from settlement/Mowasi area
for much of the morning—unable to identify source.
Wednesday 19th February
11 reported killed in Gaza during night of 18th February. During da' four
"Qam" rockets reported by international media to be fired from North Gaza
strip toward Sderot. Hamas claims responsibility. Water work continues.
Thursday 20th February
Checkpoints closed all day.
Friday 21st February
One man reported killed by army at Erez checkpoin' another killed at settlement
in Northern Gaza strip. Medicines Sans Frontiers group report being fired upon
while trying to cross Abu Holi checkpoin' despite prior permission from
military. Mosque destroyed in Block J was abandoned previously due to earlier
attacks.
Saturday 22nd February
Water work continues. International' responding to reports of house demolition
in Block ' witness further underground bombing. Reports are received that one
house was demolished prior to their arrival. Heavy shooting in Block J during
the night. Reports later confirmed by various sources that Israeli soldiers on
foot entered at least one house in Hi Salaam area during the night.
Sunday 23rd February
Large scale demonstration in solidarity with the people of Iraq. El Hash-Ash
area invaded and occupied. 150-200 men held under gunfire containment for 3-4
hours. 25 greenhouses destroyed. Internationals intervene in house demolition
near Salah El Dinn gate. Eight deaths reported in Beit Hanoun—including possible
deaths by stabbing. Five houses reported demolished in Tufah area.
Internationals unable to return to Rafah due to closure of checkpoint.
Monday 24th February
All checkpoints in Gaza strip reported closed during morning. Water work
continues. Abu holi checkpoint alternately open and closed during day. House
protected Sunday is destroyed during the night of 24th February.
For information on the above reports please contact Rachel at 067-857049
Or e-mail corporatepenguin@hotmail.com
ismrafah@yahoo.co.uk.
**
- This is the last text of Rachel CORRIE...
ISM activists and Palestinians under fire
Gaza
Rachel Corrie
1 Mar 03
ISMers come under fire
1st March
Today at approximately 10.30a' three internationals joined four men working for
the Rafah Municipal Water Authority at the El Iskan Water Well (#P-152) on the
outskirts of the Tel El Sulta' Rafah. This well is one of the two largest
municipal water wells in Rafa' both of which were destroyed by occupation tanks
and bulldozers on 30th January this year. This well is being repaired with
funding from Norway and Canada. At full capacit' it provides twenty-five per
cent of Rafah's water supply.
**
- Wish you hear any selected press releases,too?
- Please!..
- 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 demolition,
and today Rachel was standing with other non-violent international activists in
front of a home scheduled for 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.
- We have any fotos here to show clearly how the fascists kill the peace
activist COREY... Unfortunately, dear listeners can not see.. I want to see the
notices...
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)
Other peace activists tend to Rachel after being injured by the Israeli
bulldozer driver, Rafah, Occupied Gaza, 16 March 2003. (ISM Handout)
Rachel Corey lies on the ground fatally injured by the Israeli bulldozer, Rafah,
Occupied Gaza, 16 March 2003. (ISM Handout)
Rachel in Najjar hostpital, Rafah, Occupied Gaza. Ha'aretz newspaper reported
that Dr. Ali Musa, a doctor at Al-Najjar, stated that the cause of death was
"skull and chest fractures". ( Mohammad Al-Moghair)
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. ( Mohammad Al-Moghair)
Rachel Corey (ISM Handout)
**
- We have here a second one spontanously press release... Today, Rachel Corey,
a 23 year old student from Olympia, USA was killed by the Israeli army when a
bulldozer drove over her as she stood protesting a house demolition in Rafah,
Gaza Strip. She was one of six International Solidarity Movement (ISM)
volunteers who have been staying in the city to provide international civilian
protection to families at risk from the various forms of violence of the Israeli
occupation.
Rachel (or 'Racha' as she was known to the many many Palestinians who had become
her friends since she arrived in Rafah in late January) had spent most of the
afternoon with the other ISM volunteers patrolling a small stretch of the border
area where dozens of homes have been demolished in recent weeks and months. The
group had been clearly, audibly and visibly following the tanks and bulldozers
up and down this strip for three hours, using banners and megaphones to alert
the soldiers to their presence, a strategy that has been employed uniformly
since the start of the ISM presence in this region last December.
Occasionally the bulldozer drivers waved to the protesters.
At around 5pm the army bulldozers moved towards this house. Rachel was the
first of the international group to arrive in front of the house. She stood on
top of a mound of earth, wearing a bright orange jacket and waved to the
bulldozer driver, shouting at him to stop. He didn't. The group report that
the driver tipped sand over her, at which point she fell down.
He then drove the machine over her while the rest of the group screamed at him
to stop. After crushing her body with the forward motion of the vehicle, he then
reversed. During this time the group heard her scream. She didn't die at the
scene. With Rachel crying 'My back is broken', the other internationals waited
at the scene for an ambulance to arrive. The owner of the house in question
attempted to give Rachel first aid, but said that her skull was too damaged for
it to be effective. She was dead on arrival to the hospital in Rafah, where her
activist colleagues stood numbed with shock at the sight of her disfigured body.
The house that Rachel was killed defending is a house that internationals have
been staying in frequently over the past three months. These houses are NOT
homes of suspected militants. They are simply houses close to the Israeli
controlled border with Egypt, the sight of a proposed concrete wall and 'buffer
zone', similar to the Apartheid Wall now under construction around the West
Bank.
Rachel Corey was the first International Solidarity Movement volunteer to be
killed in this intifada. Over 2,200 Palestinians have been killed by the state
of Israel since September 2000. Shot, bombed, crushed in their homes, left to
die in ambulances at checkpoints. The instruments and policies of occupation and
murder are numerous.
Random killings and house demolitions are part of the systematic violence that
is an everyday reality for Palestinians. Today that violence became a reality
for internationals.
The rationale of international protection rests upon the umption that Israel
cannot remain unaccountable for the killing of international civilians as it is
unaccountable for the killing of Palestinians. Today this umption has been
challenged.
An activist for justice and for peace, Rachel joins the list of history's
martyrs, who through non-violent protest have been struck down by the forces of
oppression and military power that we will continue to struggle against until
Palestine is free.
**
- What say International Law about this ongoing cruelity?
- Many things!... But the world been manipulated and lie machines washed our
brains...
- Do you tell me a concrete law to stop the ZOG?
- I am reading: THE FOURTH GENEVA CONVENTION, signed on August 12, 1949
- Enough, dear!.. I know what it'sincluding...
- You know? Butr the Catch Boy Negroe forget it since a long time...
- Negroe?
- Kofi Annan...
- Reallly!.. What the U N adimnistration do when they hearing the macres?
- Golfing!...
- I heard that Negroe have a from Sweden...
- It's true... He married with a Jewish , Nino Wallenberg...
- I can guess what they do when macres informed by them...
- All the responsible administratiors should not so nonsense animals...
- Definitely, they are not the cruel animals... But the authorities aren't
enough full up with the blood of innocent mes...
- So far the authorities been rides by the Zionist Imperialist Fascists,
unfortunately...
- This is the question!... Jrewish Fascism never and never respected the
International Law principles... But Imperialism always lied and accused poor
Saddam Hussein, instead of the true occupational dictators of Zion...
***