Rachel Corrie was an American college student doing heroic work, trying to protect Palestinians whose are being constantly shot at and whose homes are being bulldozed. Unarmed and dressed in bright color clothing she would stand between the Israeli tanks and bulldozers and Palestinian homes.
From the account of Joseph Smith it appears she was murdered by a bulldozer operator who clearly saw her, drove over her and drove backwards over her with the bulldozer blade down. Knowing she was terrible injured the Israeli soldiers made no attempt to get her medical aid.
The IDF investigation of her death was a travesty. Investigators didn't interview the witnesses or ask to see the photos. They even concluded that she was not run over by the bulldozer, despite the photo showing her buried in the earth with bulldozer treads on either side.
The investigation into Rachel's death by the IDF fits the pattern of their lack of concern for the deaths of Palestinian non-combatants, cursory investigations where witnesses are not questioned and soldiers are almost always let off.
The Israeli government cannot be trusted to investigate this matter fairly. The U.S. government has the responsiblity to launch an honest investigation into the death of it citizen.
Newspaper and magazines editors should be writing about the death of this American hero.
In 1994 American Michael Fay was convicted of vandalism in Singapore. One of his punishments was to be caned six times on his buttocks. The story made headlines all over the world. Most U.S., newspaper editors and politicians made a comment and the President of the United States asked the government of Singapore to waive the caning. If the punishment of an American convicted of a crime can get so much attention, why can't there be an honest investigation into the death of an American hero?
It's true that for their own safety Americans are being told to stay away from the Gaza Strip. However, the "internationals" are not going to the Territories as sightseers, but to help prevent terrible human rights abuses. They should be afforded vigorous protection by U.S. diplomatic personnel. The papers say that the ISM will be ordered out of the territories. It is the Israeli soldiers who have no business in the territories. The territories are suffering under an illegal occupation.
