[van-discuss] re: Mar 18 - VIGIL & MEMORIAL-Rachel Corey(resend please!)

[ISM-Vancouver]

RESS RELEASE . March 18, 2003
International Solidarity Movement (ISM-Vancouver)
16 West Hastings Street - Box 38; Vancouver, BC V6B 1G4
(604) 461-8409
Email: Ism-vancouver at palsolidarity.org
URL:  www.ism-vancouver.org
VIGIL March 18 AT US Consulate, IN MEMORY OF Rachel Corrie, 23, Murdered by
Israeli Army
Vancouver - A vigil will be held in Vancouver, at US Embassy, in memory of
Rachel Corrie, ISM Activist who was murdered by the Israeli Army.
The vigil will take place at 7:00pm, at US Consulate, 1095 W. Pender Street,
Vancouver.
On Sunday, March 16th, InternationalSolidarity Movement (ISM) activist
Rachel Corrie (of Olympia in Washington State, USA) died of her injuries in
A-Najar Hospital in Rafah after being deliberately run over by an Israeli
military bulldozer.
Rachel had been working with the ISM in Rafah for seven weeks when she
was killed trying to prevent the demolition of Palestinian homes and
property in the Hi Salaam area of Rafah.
Contrary to Israeli army statements claiming that Rachel Corrie's death
was "accidental," and that she and other internationals present acted
"very irresponsibly, putting everyone in danger" (Israeli Army spokesperson
Capt.Jacob Dallal), eyewitness testimony and photographs clearly show that
Corrie was well marked, had a megaphone, was standing in clear view of the
driver, and posed no threat to anyone. After attempting to negotiate with
the bulldozer driver for two hours, Corrie blocked the machine's passage in
an attempt to prevent the demolition of a Palestinian home. Despite repeated
calls to "stop," the bulldozer
driver made the conscious and deliberate choice to crush an unarmed
woman, and then reverse over her body a second time. Rachel later died
of severe head and chest injuries -- joining some 2,181 Palestinians who
have been killed by Israeli soldiers and settlers since September 2000.
In an e-mail from February 14th, Corrie stated "We can only imagine what it
is like for Palestinians living here, most of them once-or-twice refugees
already, for whom this is not a nightmare, but a continuous reality from
which international privilege cannot protect them." Once again, the Israeli
army has demonstrated its complete disregard for human life, and that it
will stop at nothing to maintain and expand its illegal occupation of the
West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem. Rachel Corrie was the seventh
international civilian killed by Israeli forces since the latest intifada
(uprising) began two and a half years ago. On November 22, 2002, British
United Nations worker Ian Hook was shot in the back by an Israeli military
sniper, while talking on a cell phone.
The ISM is a Palestinian-led organization which works with international
volunteers from around the world and uses non-violent direct action to
confront and challenge Israel's brutal and illegal occupation of Palestinian
territories seized by war in 1967.
At least twenty Canadian citizens -- from Vancouver to Montréal -- have
participated on ISM campaigns over the last two years. A few Canadians
are currently engaged in ISM peace work in the Occupied Palestinian
Territories, carrying out courageous activities in solidarity with
Palestinian civilians -- activities similar to the ones that led to
Rachel Corrie's death.

Paul Burrows, another ISM participant during the October-November 2002
"Olive Harvest" campaign, notes: "Those of us in the Canadian ISM are deeply
shocked and horrified by the murder of Rachel Corrie. Palestinian community
activists, resistance fighters, and ordinary civilians are being shot,
tortured, rocketed, bulldozed, stoned, deported, imprisoned, humiliated,
assassinated, and summarily executed on a routine basis by Israeli
occupation forces and "settlers." In the past few weeks, hundreds of
Palestinian civilians have been killed in Gaza alone. Just today, one day
after Rachel was crushed beneath a U.S.-made Caterpillar D-9 bulldozer, a
four-year old baby girl was killed by Israeli soldiers in Gaza -- only the
latest of Israel's 2,100 "regrettable accidents" since late-2000. But how
many "accidents" make a policy? How many children need to be murdered in
their own homes, shot while walking to school, or blown up by rockets from
the sky, before the international community holds Israel accountable for war
crimes? Rachel's murder demonstrates that even the relative privilege of
international passports and skin colour is no deterrent to a real rogue
state like Israel -- backed by the world's only superpower, and hell-bent on
stealing land and expelling the indigenous owners, in a process that can
only be described as "ethnic cleansing." Her fate could have been shared by
any one of us involved with ISM campaigns past and present. Our hearts, and
tears, and condolences go out to her family and friends -- even while our
resolve to continue her important work is strengthened."
ISM-Vancouver calls on the Canadian government to make aid, trade, and
diplomatic recognition of Israel contingent upon Israel's ending its
occupation.
For further information or interviews contact ISM-Vancouver Coordinator:
Reem Alnuweiri at 604.461.8409, email: ism-vancouver at palsolidarity.org, or
visit our website at www.ism-vancouver.org
-30-


--
International Solidarity Movement
Vancouver Chapter: www.ism-vancouver.org
International: www.palsolidarity.org



--------- Original message --------
From: "kymhothead" <kymhothead at telus.net>
To: "van-discuss at lists.resist.ca" <van-discuss at lists.resist.ca>,
"ISM-Vancouver" <ism-vancouver at palsolidarity.org>
Subject: re: Mar 18 - VIGIL & MEMORIAL-Rachel Corey(resend please!)
Date: 03-18-03 07:01



can this be resent, i could not understand a thing of it, it was all garbled
for me.
i am not sure but, is it that 7pm meet at US embasy re: vigil for young
woman inseattle killed by isreali soldiers...?
thanks
kym

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