Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses.

 
Israeli Murderer of American Peace Activist, Rachel Corrie, Acquitted After Nine Years by Zionist Judges

August 28, 2012

American peace activist, Rachel Corrie, murdered by Israeli occupation soldier, who crushed her by his bulldozer in 2003, acquitted in August 28, 2012.	Parents of the American peace activist, Rachel Corrie, who was murdered by Israeli occupation soldier, who crushed her by his bulldozer in 2003, acquitted in August 28, 2012.

Court Rules Army “Not AT Fault” In Death Of Rachel Corrie

Tuesday August 28, 2012 12:25 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

An Israeli court ruled, Tuesday, that the army “was not at fault” in the murder of American peace activist, Rachel Corrie, who in 2003 was crushed to death by an Israeli military bulldozer while peacefully trying to stop the army from demolishing a Palestinian home, in Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli judge said that the death of Rachel was a regrettable “accident”, and claimed that “the army was at no fault”.

The Judge, Obed Greshon, of the Haifa District Court, claimed that Rachel, 23, “was killed while protecting terrorists in a combat Zone”, the BBC reported.

He maintained the claim of the Israeli military in which the bulldozer driver claimed that “he did not see her”.

The judge went on to the rude claim that “Rachel did not do what any thinking person would have done, as she did not distance herself from the bulldozer, the BBC added.

Rachel’s family brought charges against Israel for intentionally killing their daughter, and also accused Israel of not conducting a credible investigation into the attack.

The ruling of the court comes in coherence with the claim of the Israeli military, as the army allegedly investigated the incident and determined that “the military is not at fault for her death”.

The Court’s verdict was made in the presence of Cindy and Craig, the father and mother of Rachel Corrie, and several friends of activists.

Rachel Corrie is from Olympia, Washington in the United States of America.

Following the ruling, attorney Hussein Abu Hussein, The Corrie’s attorney, issued the following statement;

While not surprising, this verdict is yet another example of where impunity has prevailed over accountability and fairness. Rachel Corrie was killed while non-violently protesting home demolitions and injustice in Gaza, and today, this court has given its stamp of approval to flawed and illegal practices that failed to protect civilian life. In this regard, the verdict blames the victim based on distorted facts and it could have been written directly by the state attorneys.

We knew from the beginning that we had an uphill battle to get truthful answers and justice, but we are convinced that this verdict distorts the strong evidence presented in court, and contradicts fundamental principles of international law with regard to protection of human rights defenders. In denying justice in Rachel Corrie’s killing, this verdict speaks to the systemic failure to hold the Israeli military accountable for continuing violations of basic human rights.


We would like to thank everyone who supported the family and the legal team; including activists, NGOs, legal observers, US embassy officials, interpreters, reporters who covered the trial, and we look forward to talking to you at the press conference.

Hamas condemns the acquittal of Corrie’s murderers

[ 29/08/2012 - 11:04 AM ]

(PIC)--

Hamas Movement condemned the Israeli court's decision to acquit the Israeli occupation army of killing American activist Rachel Corrie.

Corrie was crushed to death by an army bulldozer when she was trying to prevent demolition of Palestinian homes in Rafah on March 16, 2003.

An official source in the movement said: "We, in Hamas, strongly condemn this Zionist unjust decision acquitting the criminal killers ... we consider this acquittal an offense to be added to the series of racist crimes against the Palestinian people and the supporters of its just cause."

"It (the acquittal) represents a desperate attempt to discourage activists and supporters of the Palestinian people from continuing supporting them against the occupation policies and criminal plans", the source added.

The Islamic resistance movement also denounced the silence of the international community and United States regarding this acquittal, and called on human rights and humanitarian organizations to prosecute the Zionist war criminals for their persistent crimes against the Palestinian land and people.

Continuing Impunity for the Death of Rachel Corrie

Wednesday August 29, 2012 02:46 by Palestinien Centre For Human Rights - PCHR

PCHR strongly condemns the decision of the Israeli court this morning, Tuesday, 28 August 2012, that Israel’s forces are not responsible for the death of US peace activist Rachel Corrie.

On 16 March 2003, Rachel Corrie, along with several other foreign activists from the International Solidarity Movement, was trying to prevent home demolitions in the al-Salam neighborhood of Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. While she was protesting, a bulldozer deliberately drove over Rachel, a statement supported by numerous eyewitnesses.

PCHR submitted a request to Israel for question these eyewitnesses during their investigation, which did occur in the presence of Israeli lawyers representing PCHR. However, the initial investigation by Israel still concluded that her death was an accident.[1]

After spending nearly a decade fighting to have their daughter’s death declared a murder, including in the US courts with the assistance of PCHR, the family of Rachel Corrie received a final word from the Israeli court in Haifa this morning – the death of their daughter was a regrettable accident.

This lawsuit was originally filed in 2005 after Israel’s initial investigation ruled there had been no negligence, and hearings ended in July of last year. In the courtroom today, the Judge stated that there was no justification for requesting money from the State since the Israeli forces had done nothing wrong.

Rachel Corrie was the first international peace activist to be killed while protesting against Israel’s house demolitions. Israel’s house demolitions are a violation of Article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits the targeting of civilian property.

Rachel Corrie was within her rights protesting this illegal activity and should not have been attacked. As per Article 10 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, Israel, as the Occupying Power, is obligated to facilitate humanitarian workers in the Occupied Territory.As outlined in the Fourth Geneva Convention Commentary on Article 10, this obligation is extended to any impartial humanitarian organization that performs activities, including but not limited to, “representations, interventions, suggestions and practical measures affecting the protection under the Convention.”

Rachel Corrie’s intervention at the house demolition falls under an approved humanitarian activity. Therefore, in addition to the fact that she was a civilian, a prohibited target under Article 54 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, the killing of Rachel Corrie violated Israel’s obligation as an Occupying Power to facilitate humanitarian work.

This decision by Israel’s courts is just one of the many extending immunity to Israel’s forces, including another recent case where a soldier responsible for the death of two Palestinian women received a lesser sentence that did not reflect the gravity of his crime and only resulted in 45 days of imprisonment.[2] This air of impunity can no longer exist.

PCHR extends its condolences again to the family of Rachel Corrie and:

1. Stresses its support for continuing efforts exerted by international solidarity activists in support of the Palestinian people. PCHR appreciates the important role played by these activists who advocate for the rights of Palestinian civilians and speak out against the human rights violations committed against the latter by the Israeli authorities and settlers.

2. PCHR calls upon international organizations, including human rights organizations, bar associations and international solidarity committees to continue and expand their efforts in bring to justice Israeli war criminals, and to urge their governments to bring those criminals to court.

3. Calls upon the international community to immediately take action to stop this impunity, and reiterates its call for the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligations under Article 1, which stipulates that "the High Contracting Parties undertake to respect and to ensure respect for the present Convention in all circumstances," and their obligations under Article 146 which requires that the Contracting Parties prosecute persons alleged to commit grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

These grave breaches constitute war crimes under Article 147 of the same Convention and under Protocol I Additional to Geneva Conventions.