Saturday, March 6, 2010
The "wrongful death" lawsuit by the family of deceased International Solidarity Movement activist Rachel Corrie is moving forward, as Israel has allowed several ISM activists into the country to serve as witnesses (now there's a reliable group): Corrie witnesses testify next week
The hearing of witnesses in the civil tort filed by the family of Rachel Corrie - a member of the pro-Palestinian International Solidarity Movement (ISM) who was crushed to death by an IDF bulldozer in 2003 - is due to begin next week in the Haifa District Court.
The plaintiffs - Corrie's father, Craig; her mother, Cynthia; her brother, Christopher; and her sister Sarah Simpson - are suing the state for $324,424 in damages in what they charge was her wrongful death, caused by the use of "deliberate and utterly unreasonable force by the bulldozer driver" who ran over her over.
Corrie, who came from Olympia, Washington, was 24 years old when she died on March 16, 2003. She was stationed at the time with other ISM volunteers in Rafah, at the southern tip of the Gaza Strip.
The IDF Southern Command conducted an investigation of the incident and closed the file without taking measures against any of the soldiers involved...[More.]
Steven Plaut has written a little background and an open letter to the Corries: A Two Person Anti-Israel SWAT Team. Argue with his tone all you like, and initially I, like many, was extremely sympathetic to the parents -- how could you not be -- but quite frankly, they have made themselves into real political activists and at this point it's more about keeping other people's kids alive than anything else.
For some more background on the Rachel Corrie story, you can see my review of the play with resources linked at the end, here: Earnest Ignorance: My Name is Rachel Corrie at the New Rep
Do you have contact information for the Haifa District Court or the Israeli lawyers? They should be aware--and this is a matter of record from the Internet--that two ISM members, including Joseph Smith (an eyewitness to Rachel Corrie's death) expressed motives for wanting her dead.
Noting that the question of murder (raised by the ISM itself) has come up, I would think that a court of law would find it extremely interesting and disturbing that two ISM members put it on record that Rachel Corrie was worth far more to them dead than alive.
On the one hand, the burden of proof on plaintiffs in a civil suit is much lower than that on the state in a criminal matter, so the Corries need only prove that, on a balance of probabities, Israel 1) had a duty of care to Rachel and 2) was proximately responsible for Rachel's wrongful death.
On the other hand, my recollection of Joseph Smith's original description of events, posted of events on his blog was to express disbelief that the driver failed to stop short of protesters as was the usual conduct of affairs. He then attributed motive/deliberateness to the driver's actions, which was his own conclusion and nothing more. If the Corries have a half decent lawyer arguing the case, there is a chance that the court will find the Israeli government inquiry proved -- that Corrie was not visible to the driver, death was accidental, and both Israel and Rachel were partly to blame, Israel for failing to remove her from the zone and Corrie for placing herself in an area marked for earth moving activities for the purpose of closing up tunnels used to smuggle arms. In the end, the ISM could be exposed for what they are -- a recruiting outfit with little regard for the volunteers they recruit.
A strong statement from a judge could end up being very useful for whichever side it comes down on. There's a lot of risk there.
If the "ism" Islamofascist Solidarity Movement, had spent as much effort to protect Corrie, instead of making a snuff film, Corrie would be alive today.
"ism" told Corrie to jump off a roof, Corrie complied. They should have checked Corries blood for alcohol and drugs - a not unlikely possibility with a college student intoxicated with hate against her birth country.
I'd gotten the impression, from people who've actually been in those machines, that it is very hard to see much because they're so heavily armored.
That said the ISM tactic of putting people like Rachel Corrie in harm's way is irresponsible in the extreme.
Eddie,
From what I heard at the time, the Israeli authorities couldn't get at the body to do a proper autopsy.
This blog has some pictures taken at the time
Rachel Corrie: The Little Liberal Girl that Couldn’t
The autopsy mentioned here was apparently carried out in a Gaza hospital.