Call for Rachel Corrie killers to be brought to justice

The Arab League has called for the killers of American human rights activist Rachel Corrie to be brought to justice. The 23-year old was crushed to death by an Israeli army bulldozer in March 2003 as she tried to stop occupation forces from destroying Palestinian homes in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

In a statement issued to mark the 12th anniversary of Corrie’s death, the Arab League said that the driver of the bulldozer fully intended to kill the young peace activist. It noted that an Israeli court acquitted the Israel Defence Forces of murdering the American citizen after her family filed a lawsuit accusing the authorities of killing their daughter deliberately. Israel’s Supreme Court upheld a decision issued by a lower court in 2012 acquitting the army of the killing.

“Last Sunday,” added the Arab League statement, “Israeli occupation soldiers brutally attacked dozens of young activists and students from Bir Zeit University in the West Bank village of Qaryout as they commemorated Corrie’s killing.” Israel, the league pointed out, intends to confiscate land in the village to expand its nearby illegal settlements; the activists were planting olive trees when they were attacked.

Rachel Corrie was an American member of the International Solidarity Movement who travelled to Gaza during the second intifada. The ISM is a non-violent organisation established in 2001 to support the Palestinian cause. Its founders were Palestinian Ghassan Andouni; Nita Golan, an Israeli activist; Huwaida Arraf, a Palestinian-American; and George N. Rishmawi, also a Palestinian. American activist Adam Shapiro joined the movement shortly after it was founded, so he is considered to be one of the founding team.