Still no justice for peace activist Rachel Corrie

While hardly unexpected, the ruling in a civil case brought by Ms Corrie's parents was yet another example of "justice being denied to Israel's victims," said campaigners.

Ms Corrie, an International Solidarity Movement volunteer, was crushed by an Israeli Defence Force (IDF) bulldozer on March 16 2003 as she attempted to prevent the destruction of a Palestinian home in Rafah, close to the Gaza-Egypt border.

An internal IDF inquiry cleared its troops, claiming that the driver of the Caterpillar bulldozer hadn't seen Ms Corrie.

It also accused the activists of "illegal, irresponsible and dangerous" behaviour.

Eyewitnesses said that Ms Corrie had been in clear view and that despite attempts to get the driver to stop he drove straight over her.

A civil action filed by her parents Cindy and Craig accused the Israeli military of either unlawfully or intentionally killing their daughter or of gross negligence.

But a judge at Haifa District Court threw out the case today, saying there had been no fault in the initial military investigation.

Judge Oded Gershon said that Ms Corrie could have saved herself by moving away from the danger zone and ruled that no compensation be paid.

Responding to the verdict Jeremy Corbyn MP, who has met the Corrie family, told the Star: "Rachel Corrie died while trying to defend a wholly innocent Palestinian family against the Israeli Defence Force.

"I am disgusted that her family, who I have had the privilege of meeting, have been put through this appalling struggle to try and get justice.

"Justice has been denied for Rachel as it also has for the Palestinian people.

"The US is normally very quick to intervene anywhere one of its citizens is involved. Rachel was a US citizen and perhaps it is time they took this up with the IDF."

And Palestine Solidarity Campaign director Sarah Colborne said: "Rachel Corrie was deliberately crushed to death by an Israeli bulldozer almost 10 years ago, while trying to protect a Palestinian home in Gaza.

"The Israeli judge's decision to blame Rachel Corrie for her own death is wholly consistent with the denial of justice in Israeli courts for other victims of crimes committed by the Israeli army.

"Just three weeks ago, an ex-Israeli soldier was sentenced to 45 days for the murder of two Palestinian women carrying a white flag while trying to leave their home during Operation Cast Lead.

"We owe it to the family of Rachel Corrie, and the families of all those thousands of Palestinians killed and injured since Rachel's death, to increase pressure on our government to end Israel's violations of international law and human rights."

paddym@peoples-press.com

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