Seeking answers from Israel

By Cindy Corrie, 3/18/2004

A YEAR AGO this week, my daughter Rachel Corrie was killed in Rafah in
the Gaza Strip. She was run over by an Israeli bulldozer manned by two
soldiers. The Israeli government exonerated the soldiers, closed the
case, and refuses to release to the US government the complete report
on the military police investigation into Rachel's killing.
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Only the "conclusions" of the report have been released. In them, the
soldiers are identified by their initials: Sergeant Y.F. and Sergeant
E.V. Their initials are nearly all we know of them. I wonder about
Y.F. and E.V. I wonder whether they will pause this week and remember.

Rachel was an unarmed peace activist trying to prevent the demolition
of the home of a Palestinian pharmacist, his wife, and three children.
She believed that nonviolent direct action against the Israeli
occupation would make Palestinians, and also Israelis and Americans,
more secure. Rachel stood there to protect a home and family in Gaza
because the United States and Israel rejected a UN proposal to send
international human rights monitors there. International activists
went instead. Rachel stood there protesting illegal home demolitions
that the United States opposes on the record yet fails to stop --
destruction that we support with billions in annual military aid to
Israel for bulldozers, Apache helicopters, F-16s, and more.

Rachel wrote to me from Rafah: "This has to stop. I think it is a good
idea for us all to drop everything and devote our lives to making this
stop. I don't think it's an extremist thing to do anymore. I still
really want to dance around to Pat Benatar and have boyfriends and
make comics for my coworkers. But I also want this to stop."

On March 17, 2003, President Bush spoke with Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon about Rachel's killing. Sharon assured Bush that the Israeli
government would undertake a "thorough, credible, and transparent
investigation" and would report the results to the United States.

On March 19, 2003, Richard Boucher, spokesman for the State
Department, noted in reference to Rachel: "When we have the death of
an American citizen, we want to see it fully investigated. That is one
of our key responsibilities overseas, to look after the welfare of
American citizens and to find out what happened in situations like
these."

In Congress, Representative Brian Baird of Washington state introduced
a bill calling on the US government to "undertake a full, fair, and
expeditious investigation into the death of Rachel Corrie." Others
warned that passage was unlikely because of strong sentiment in
Congress to avoid any legislation that appears critical of Israel.
Nevertheless, 56 House members have signed the bill.

Despite promises of a transparent investigation, only two American
Embassy staff members in Tel Aviv and my husband and I were allowed to
"view" the full document. While it refers to evidence gathered by the
Israeli military police, no primary evidence is included. Commenting
on the report on July 1, 2003, Richard LeBaron, US Embassy Deputy
Chief of Mission in Tel Aviv, stated, "there are several
inconsistencies worthy of note."

For our family, the report raises questions and fails to reconcile
differences between Israeli soldiers who say they could not see Rachel
and seven international eyewitnesses who say she was clearly visible.
Despite lingering concerns, there has been no move by the White House,
the State Department, or the Justice Department to initiate a US
investigation. Some ask if a precedent exists for investigating in
another country without being "invited." The Israeli government has
apparently not extended such an invitation.

The London Metropolitan Police, however, are now conducting inquests
into the deaths in Rafah of British nationals Tom Hurndall and James
Miller. In a seven-week period in 2003, Tom, James, and Rachel were
all struck down in the same area, where the Israel Defense Forces are
building a high steel wall and demolishing Palestinian homes.
Remarkably, the London police recently transferred the Hurndall and
Miller cases to one coroner, reasoning that a series of similar deaths
in a short time could indicate "a more complex systematic problem"
within the Israeli military.

Our family continues to call for a US investigation into Rachel's
death. As we wait, I still wonder about Y.F. and E.V. I wonder whether
they, too, see images of Rachel lying before the bulldozer. I wonder
whether they, too, are suffering, or whether March 16, 2003, was for
them just another day on the job. I wonder.

Cindy Corrie, a former educator and music teacher, lives in Olympia,
Wash.
© Copyright 2004 Globe Newspaper Company.

Truth Teller wrote:

Seeking answers from Israel

By Cindy Corrie, 3/18/2004

A YEAR AGO this week, my daughter Rachel Corrie was killed in Rafah in
the Gaza Strip. She was run over by an Israeli bulldozer manned by two
soldiers. The Israeli government exonerated the soldiers, closed the
case, and refuses to release to the US government the complete report
on the military police investigation into Rachel's killing.
ADVERTISEMENT

Only the "conclusions" of the report have been released. In them, the
soldiers are identified by their initials: Sergeant Y.F. and Sergeant
E.V. Their initials are nearly all we know of them. I wonder about
Y.F. and E.V. I wonder whether they will pause this week and remember.

Rachel was an unarmed peace activist trying to prevent the demolition
of the home of a Palestinian pharmacist, his wife, and three children.
She believed that nonviolent direct action against the Israeli
occupation would make Palestinians, and also Israelis and Americans,
more secure. Rachel stood there to protect a home and family in Gaza
because the United States and Israel rejected a UN proposal to send
international human rights monitors there. International activists
went instead. Rachel stood there protesting illegal home demolitions
that the United States opposes on the record yet fails to stop --
destruction that we support with billions in annual military aid to
Israel for bulldozers, Apache helicopters, F-16s, and more.

Rachel wrote to me from Rafah: "This has to stop. I think it is a good
idea for us all to drop everything and devote our lives to making this
stop. I don't think it's an extremist thing to do anymore. I still
really want to dance around to Pat Benatar and have boyfriends and
make comics for my coworkers. But I also want this to stop."

On March 17, 2003, President Bush spoke with Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon about Rachel's killing. Sharon assured Bush that the Israeli
government would undertake a "thorough, credible, and transparent
investigation" and would report the results to the United States.

On March 19, 2003, Richard Boucher, spokesman for the State
Department, noted in reference to Rachel: "When we have the death of
an American citizen, we want to see it fully investigated. That is one
of our key responsibilities overseas, to look after the welfare of
American citizens and to find out what happened in situations like
these."

In Congress, Representative Brian Baird of Washington state introduced
a bill calling on the US government to "undertake a full, fair, and
expeditious investigation into the death of Rachel Corrie." Others
warned that passage was unlikely because of strong sentiment in
Congress to avoid any legislation that appears critical of Israel.
Nevertheless, 56 House members have signed the bill.

Despite promises of a transparent investigation, only two American
Embassy staff members in Tel Aviv and my husband and I were allowed to
"view" the full document. While it refers to evidence gathered by the
Israeli military police, no primary evidence is included. Commenting
on the report on July 1, 2003, Richard LeBaron, US Embassy Deputy
Chief of Mission in Tel Aviv, stated, "there are several
inconsistencies worthy of note."

For our family, the report raises questions and fails to reconcile
differences between Israeli soldiers who say they could not see Rachel
and seven international eyewitnesses who say she was clearly visible.
Despite lingering concerns, there has been no move by the White House,
the State Department, or the Justice Department to initiate a US
investigation. Some ask if a precedent exists for investigating in
another country without being "invited." The Israeli government has
apparently not extended such an invitation.

The London Metropolitan Police, however, are now conducting inquests
into the deaths in Rafah of British nationals Tom Hurndall and James
Miller. In a seven-week period in 2003, Tom, James, and Rachel were
all struck down in the same area, where the Israel Defense Forces are
building a high steel wall and demolishing Palestinian homes.
Remarkably, the London police recently transferred the Hurndall and
Miller cases to one coroner, reasoning that a series of similar deaths
in a short time could indicate "a more complex systematic problem"
within the Israeli military.

Our family continues to call for a US investigation into Rachel's
death. As we wait, I still wonder about Y.F. and E.V. I wonder whether
they, too, see images of Rachel lying before the bulldozer. I wonder
whether they, too, are suffering, or whether March 16, 2003, was for
them just another day on the job. I wonder.

Cindy Corrie, a former educator and music teacher, lives in Olympia,
Wash.
© Copyright 2004 Globe Newspaper Company.

Unfortunately, Rachel should have been standing in front of the rocket
launchers being used to fire into Israel.

On Monday, June 11, 2012 4:40:00 AM UTC-4, dxAce wrote:
Truth Teller wrote:

Seeking answers from Israel

By Cindy Corrie, 3/18/2004

A YEAR AGO this week, my daughter Rachel Corrie was killed in Rafah in
the Gaza Strip. She was run over by an Israeli bulldozer manned by two
soldiers. The Israeli government exonerated the soldiers, closed the
case, and refuses to release to the US government the complete report
on the military police investigation into Rachel's killing.
ADVERTISEMENT

Only the "conclusions" of the report have been released. In them, the
soldiers are identified by their initials: Sergeant Y.F. and Sergeant
E.V. Their initials are nearly all we know of them. I wonder about
Y.F. and E.V. I wonder whether they will pause this week and remember.

Rachel was an unarmed peace activist trying to prevent the demolition
of the home of a Palestinian pharmacist, his wife, and three children.
She believed that nonviolent direct action against the Israeli
occupation would make Palestinians, and also Israelis and Americans,
more secure. Rachel stood there to protect a home and family in Gaza
because the United States and Israel rejected a UN proposal to send
international human rights monitors there. International activists
went instead. Rachel stood there protesting illegal home demolitions
that the United States opposes on the record yet fails to stop --
destruction that we support with billions in annual military aid to
Israel for bulldozers, Apache helicopters, F-16s, and more.

Rachel wrote to me from Rafah: "This has to stop. I think it is a good
idea for us all to drop everything and devote our lives to making this
stop. I don't think it's an extremist thing to do anymore. I still
really want to dance around to Pat Benatar and have boyfriends and
make comics for my coworkers. But I also want this to stop."

On March 17, 2003, President Bush spoke with Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon about Rachel's killing. Sharon assured Bush that the Israeli
government would undertake a "thorough, credible, and transparent
investigation" and would report the results to the United States.

On March 19, 2003, Richard Boucher, spokesman for the State
Department, noted in reference to Rachel: "When we have the death of
an American citizen, we want to see it fully investigated. That is one
of our key responsibilities overseas, to look after the welfare of
American citizens and to find out what happened in situations like
these."

In Congress, Representative Brian Baird of Washington state introduced
a bill calling on the US government to "undertake a full, fair, and
expeditious investigation into the death of Rachel Corrie." Others
warned that passage was unlikely because of strong sentiment in
Congress to avoid any legislation that appears critical of Israel.
Nevertheless, 56 House members have signed the bill.

Despite promises of a transparent investigation, only two American
Embassy staff members in Tel Aviv and my husband and I were allowed to
"view" the full document. While it refers to evidence gathered by the
Israeli military police, no primary evidence is included. Commenting
on the report on July 1, 2003, Richard LeBaron, US Embassy Deputy
Chief of Mission in Tel Aviv, stated, "there are several
inconsistencies worthy of note."

For our family, the report raises questions and fails to reconcile
differences between Israeli soldiers who say they could not see Rachel
and seven international eyewitnesses who say she was clearly visible.
Despite lingering concerns, there has been no move by the White House,
the State Department, or the Justice Department to initiate a US
investigation. Some ask if a precedent exists for investigating in
another country without being "invited." The Israeli government has
apparently not extended such an invitation.

The London Metropolitan Police, however, are now conducting inquests
into the deaths in Rafah of British nationals Tom Hurndall and James
Miller. In a seven-week period in 2003, Tom, James, and Rachel were
all struck down in the same area, where the Israel Defense Forces are
building a high steel wall and demolishing Palestinian homes.
Remarkably, the London police recently transferred the Hurndall and
Miller cases to one coroner, reasoning that a series of similar deaths
in a short time could indicate "a more complex systematic problem"
within the Israeli military.

Our family continues to call for a US investigation into Rachel's
death. As we wait, I still wonder about Y.F. and E.V. I wonder whether
they, too, see images of Rachel lying before the bulldozer. I wonder
whether they, too, are suffering, or whether March 16, 2003, was for
them just another day on the job. I wonder.

Cindy Corrie, a former educator and music teacher, lives in Olympia,
Wash.
� Copyright 2004 Globe Newspaper Company.

Unfortunately, Rachel should have been standing in front of the rocket
launchers being used to fire into Israel.

Just proves - there is no shortage of very naiive people out there...