Rachel Corrie, U.S. activist killed by Israel bulldozer, brought it "upon herself," court says

Rachel Corrie during March 14, 2003 interview with MBC Saudi Arabia television in Rafah refugee camp in Gaza Strip. Corrie was run over and killed by Israeli bulldozer two days later. / Lorenzo Scaraggi/Getty Images

Updated at 7:50 a.m. Eastern

(AP) HAIFA, Israel — An Israeli court ruled Tuesday that the military was not at fault for killing a U.S. activist crushed by an army bulldozer during a 2003 demonstration, rejecting a lawsuit filed by her parents.

The bulldozer driver has said he didn't see 23-year-old Rachel Corrie, a pro-Palestinian activist, who was trying to block the vehicle's path during a demonstration in the Gaza Strip against the military's demolition of Palestinian homes.

The military deemed her March 2003 death an accident, but Corrie's parents said the driver acted recklessly and filed a civil lawsuit two years later.

Family of U.S. activist slain in Israel awaits verdict
Slain U.S. Activist's Parents Seek Small Justice
U.S Protester Killed in Gaza

Explaining the district court's ruling, Judge Oded Gershon said Corrie "put herself in a dangerous situation" and called her death "the result of an accident she brought upon herself." He said the military conducted a proper investigation and rejected the Corrie family's request for a symbolic $1 in damages and legal expenses.

Corrie's family, who flew in from the U.S. for the verdict, lamented the court's ruling. Their lawyer, Hussein Abu Hussein, said he would appeal the ruling to Israel's Supreme Court.

"We are of course, deeply saddened and deeply troubled by what we heard today," said her mother, Cindy Corrie of Olympia, Washington. "I believe this was a bad day. Not only for our family but for human rights, the rule of law, and also for the country of Israel."

Corrie's sister, Sarah, held up a picture of her sister lying lifeless in bulldozer tracks. The family's lawyer, Hussein Abu Hussein pointed at it: "How did the bulldozer not see her?" he asked. To say that the driver did not see her "is lies to the living and also lies to the dead."

Rachel Corrie is helped by colleagues after she was run over by an Israeli bulldozer, March 16, 2003, in the Rafah refugee camp in the Gaza strip.

/ International Solidarity Movement/Getty

The home demolitions were part of an unsuccessful campaign to halt thousands of attacks on soldiers and Jewish settlers in southern Gaza, along the border with Egypt, in the preceding 3 ? years. On the day Rachel Corrie died, she and other activists had entered a closed military zone to protest the demolition policy.

According to the U.N. agency handling Palestinian refugees, the military had left more than 17,000 Gazans homeless in the four years after a Palestinian uprising against Israel erupted in September 2000. The demolitions drew international condemnation at the time.

In her death, Corrie became the embodiment of what Palestinian activists say is Israel's harsh repression of nonviolent protest to occupation. Israel says by entering conflict zones to try to interfere with military activities, activists recklessly choose to risk their lives.

Her parents have relentlessly pursued her case since going to court in 2005 after a military investigation cleared the driver.

They say they have spent $200,000 to fly in witnesses, attend 15 hearings and translate more than 2,000 pages of court transcripts.

At the news conference, Cindy Corrie read a passage from one of her daughter's letters, biting her lip as her husband, grim-faced, held a microphone for her.

"Life is very difficult. Human beings can be kind, brave and strong, even in the most difficult of circumstances," Rachel Corrie wrote. "Thank you for existing, for showing how good people can be, despite great hardship."

The Corrie case was the first civil lawsuit of a foreigner harmed by Israel's military to conclude in a full civilian trial. Others have resulted in out-of-court settlements.

[seo155]

This is ridiculous in every sence of the word. Activists willingly put themselves in harms way expecting people to stop using themselves as a human door stop. They have become too self important and are overly self entitled. They taunt and taunt expecting people to back down, impressing their own personal beliefs on other people. Nothing short of being an old fashioned bully. Eventualy, some one will call their bluff. So if you lay down infrom of a train expecting it to stop, don't be surprised when it just keeps going.

This has nothing to with right or wrong, it has everything to do with common sence. Don't lay down infront of a bulldozer unless you want to get ran over, plain and simple. The moment she laid down infront of the machine she assumed plain and simple. Her safety was her responsibility. People like her, Greenpeace, and The Sea Sheppard do this stuff on purpose then try to sue when something goes wrong. Her trying to interviene in the Israel Palistine conflict(especially as an American) is about as smart as an America woman going to Afghanistan to protest the Taliban's treatment of women by lying down infront of one of their trucks. What do you expect is going to happen, they're more than willing to kill eachother, what makes you think they will think twice with an outsider?

[cindyn1210]

It is quite unfortunate that Rachel Corrie died, however, she and those that were with her are responsible for her death. The "witness" that was there might have done well to help her out and pull her out of harms way, rather than stand there and watch. Bulldozers move very slowly and if he was close enough to determine that the driver could see her, then he was certainly close enough to help her. I would also ask if these same outraged people are demanding "justice" in all the Arab countries where they are slaughtering their own civilians? Are they demanding justice for all the Israeli citizens that have been killed indiscriminately by the Hamas and Hezbollah? Or do they only demand justice where they know that fair trials can be counted on. Only one country in the entire Middle East, Israel, has a better democratic system than most European nations, and yet all they get is criticism. Let Rachel Corrie's parents try and seek justice in a Palestinian courtroom!

[Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals]

ping

[robert1129]

Hard to speak ill of the dead but Corrie placed herself in harm's way and now her family has to accept the consequences of her actions.

[Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals]

Agreed, but the point is that Israel took NO responsibility at all. As usual.

[earth5695]

Why should Israel take responsibility ?

RE_

AS USUAL ?



Israeli courts have sided with Palestinians numerous times yet because the courts ruled this way now you are playing judge and jury.

Maybe she should of taken responsibility for a change .

[Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals]

by earth5695 August 28, 2012 6:15 PM EDT
Since Israel is 83 % Jewish your point is ?

----------

My point is that it doesn't matter who the country's population is - the government itself is criminal, and no ally of the US.

Of course, I've only told you that a few hundred times over the past year.

[Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals]

What's really funny is that you accuse me of hating Jews, which I don't, all the while showing that you hate Arabs, since you think Arabic names are insulting, hypocrite.

[earth5695]

I don't hate Arabs Chuckles. I work with an Egyptian from Alexandria.

You, my friend hate Jews and your name is Achmed.

Why is Achmed insulting ?

Your the one who responds to people with " Moshe" when your head starts to implode and you don't have your free reign around here to spew your copy and paste propoganda.

[Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals]

ping

[Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals]

by earth5695 August 28, 2012 5:56 PM EDT
Hey B utt Head......no comment on your anti- semetism or are you debating on spelling or what is head cheese made of ?
---------

I haven't even mentioned spelling today, earth. The fact you don't know the definition of the word you keep using, "rehashed", isn't my problem, and it's not misspelled.

Quit bothering people with your childish rants.

[earth5695]

no spelling corrections?

You must have a CBS eraser because its still here to be seen.

So...your entire reBUTTal is calling me childish and ranting ?

I always knew you were an empty suit.

Would you like me to correspond with you in German or French to make it easier with the spelling ?

[Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals]

Repost my spelling corrections. You cannot, as there aren't any.

As I said, grow up. And the fact that you know how to use Google Translate doesn't impress me at all.

[Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals]

Earth -

You never have a defense for Israel other than "what about some other country"?

Why is that? Trying to distract from the real issue presented in the article, of course.

If AIPAC is paying you, you're ripping them off.

[earth5695]

I just gave you several.

But you Chuckles keep being accusatory and hiding behind spelling .

If the Wahabiests are paying you ask them for debating skills.

Considering that the West Bank/ Gaza/Egypt/Iran has everything to do with Israel would you rather discuss how much pork bellys are doing on the Chicago Exchange today ?

oink little one

[Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals]

Seriously, earth, why is it you are incapable of adult posts?

[Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals]

ping

[earth5695]

Is that your other name besides Achmed ?

[Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals]

Are you capable of making a post without childish insults?

[Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals]

Israel NEVER thinks anything is its fault.

This case is more proof of the same.

The government is criminal.

[earth5695]

Chuckles.....what happened to "I hate all the countrys of the Middle East" ?

The case here is more proof that your exactly what you are.

an Anti-Semite/ Anti-Zionist and your name is Achmed.

Read below for Chuckles explanation of Anti-everything and the rebutal.

[Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals]

Until you learn to read my comments as written, quit wasting space. And air.