Response to Israeli Corrie Murder Investigation

ISM Response to Israeli Investigation of the Murder of Corrie

GAZA, The Israeli military authorities have recently released the results of an investigation they carried out regarding the murder of the American peace activist, Rachel Corrie last month, in Rafah. The final conclusion of the investigation was that the findings "hardly match the original eyewitness reports of fellow ISM peace activists," who witnessed the Israeli predetermined murder of Corrie.

Commenting on this, the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) Media coordinator in the Palestinian territories, Ms. Huwaida, said that the Israeli military always looked for a way to absolve itself of all responsibility for their horrific crimes in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

In a letter to the International Press Center (IPC), Ms. Huwaida also stated "We are aware of the Israeli military absolving itself of all responsibility … We were actually made aware of the Israeli military's position before their report was released."

Huwaida added that the Israeli forces never took responsibility for their illegal and dangerous behaviors in the OPT, which killed, maimed thousands of innocent Palestinian men, women and children, and continue to pose a danger to thousands more.

In an interview with the (IPC) in Gaza, Joseph Smith, an ISM peace activist working in the Palestinian territories, particularly in Rafah, also a friend and an eyewitness to the murder of Rachel Corrie, said that he had expected the results of the Israeli investigation, and wasn't surprised of the biased and completely wrong evaluation of what happened.

"The “IDF” is known for its … investigation, and is known for its skewed results. What I didn't expect was it to be so skewed. I figured the results would be something like "well… we couldn't see her, it was an accident. They shouldn't have been here anyway". The idea that they'll politicize it so heavily and lie so blatantly about what actually happened."

Smith added that what the Israeli forces did to the ISM activists in Rafah; both Corrie and Hundall, would give more fear to those who are coming to the OPT, but in the same time, it will make more people inspired by the courage those activists, who sacrificed their lives to protect the Palestinian people.

When asked about the reason for targeting ISM activists in Rafah, Smith replied by saying that the effectiveness of ISM's non-violent direct actions in facing, and sometimes stopping, the occupation's aggression on the Palestinian territories, posed a threat to their black operations in the OPT, consequently leading the IOF to try and "get rid of" them.

The Israeli military investigators claimed that Corrie was not killed by the bulldozer, and that she stumbled over a mound in the land the IOF were operating in. They also claimed that her death was due to being "hit by a heavy building debris that the vehicle was moving."

On the other hand, Smith argued with the results of the investigation, which were absurd and irrational, according to his expression.

"There were plenty of structures, but it would be absurd for us to stand behind them. The idea of our work is to be a visible presence in front of things that are going to be demolished, so that the bulldozer can clearly see us and go by not demolishing the structure."

Smith also added that IOF intentionally corrupted the scene of the crime in order to cover-up for their crime.

Worthy saying that two Israeli Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs); B'nai B'rith International and the Institute for contemporary affairs, both funded by rightist Jewish bodies, have blindly supported the findings of the investigation, and went even to analyze Rachel's character, and past history, accusing her and the ISM movement of collaborating with the Palestinian resistance movements.

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