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Posted on 03/16/2003 8:21:13 AM PST by Knuckle Sandwich Combo
American protester run over by an Israeli bulldozer in Gaza and killed. Developing...
I can't decide what the heck happened myself!
It's a clip from "The Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy" radio program. I am the lucky owner of all 12 episodes on CD. They were lovingly transferred from cassettes that I received from an engineer friend who worked at a public radio station back in the '80's. Hours of fun and giggles.
A clearly marked Rachel Corey, holding a megaphone, confronts an Israeli bulldozer driver attempting to demolish a Palestinian home, Rafah, Occupied Gaza, 16 March 2003. (ISM Handout)
Other peace activists tend to Rachel after being injured by the Israeli bulldozer driver, Rafah, Occupied Gaza, 16 March 2003. (ISM Handout)
Rachel lies on the ground after being fatally injured by the Israeli bulldozer, Rafah, Occupied Gaza 16 March 2003 (ISM Handout)
Rachel in Najjar hostpital, Rafah, Occupied Gaza. Ha'aretz newspaper reported that Dr. Ali Musa, a doctor at Al-Najjar, stated that the cause of death was "skull and chest fractures". ( Mohammad Al-Moghair)
Colleagues of Rachel comfort each other in Najjar hostpital, Rafah, Occupied Gaza. Ha'aretz newspaper reported that a second activist was also injured at the same location. (Mohammad Al-Moghair)
At about 5.20 pm today Rachel Corrie from 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 as an ISM activist 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.
The confrontation between the ISM and the Israeli Army had been under way for two hours when Rachel was run over. Rachel and the other activists had clearly identified themselves as unarmed international peace activists throughout the confrontation.
The Israeli Army are attempting to dishonour her memory by claiming that Rachel was killed accidentally when she ran in front of the bulldozer. Eye-witnesses to the murder insist that this is totally untrue. Rachel was sitting in the path of the bulldozer as it advanced towards her. When the bulldozer refused to stop or turn aside she climbed up onto the mound of dirt and rubble being gathered in front of it wearing a fluorescent jacket to look directly at the driver who kept on advancing. The bulldozer continued to advance so that she was pulled under the pile of dirt and rubble. After she had disappeared from view the driver kept advancing until the bulldozer was completely on top of her. The driver did not lift the bulldozer blade and so she was crushed beneath it. Then the driver backed off and the seven other ISM activists taking part in the action rushed to dig out her body. An ambulance rushed her to A-Najar hospital where she died.
Rachel joins 1,900 Palestinians who have been killed by Israeli soldiers and settlers since September 2000,
She must have missed the day in college where they teach not to jump in front of bulldozers. (I am glad I showed up that day. At Tulane, they must have taken care of it in orientation or something.)
This reminds me of the scene in Austin Powers, where Austin is riding a steam roller and then the shot cuts away to a security guard shouting "NOOOOOOOOOOOO" Then a larger shot shows the steam roller about 5 feet away. Very funny visual comedy.
Happy St. Patty's Day to All FREEPERS!!!!!
No, sometimes they'll still kill you for it. But that was predicted long ago:
Did you catch this from her online diary?
"The demonstration began at 11 and lasted about an hour. Children and representatives from community groups gave speeches in Arabic. Masses marched carrying signs and banners that said "Peace for children in Palestine and Iraq" and "The real terrorists are in the United States and Israel", among many other statements against war on Iraq, and in support of the Iraqi people. The internationals recognized symbols and banners from numerous school and community-groups, Fateh, DFLP, FIDA, PFLP, Hamas and many individual demonstrators among those marching."
"One international delivered a speech in English, translated into Arabic by one of the Palestinian coordinators of ISM-Rafah. This speech decried the behaviour of the United States' and British governments, recognized the linkage between war on Iraq and increased destruction of Palestinian lives, and also recognized the mass mobilization of people around the world on behalf of peace, justice, and human rights. The international thanked the Palestinian people for offering a continuous example to the rest of the world of resistance against all odds."
The biggest reason houses are destroyed is because the people who live in them harbor terrorists, fund terrorists, support terrorists, or because years of palestinians looking the other way rather than reporting terrorists among them has made it neccessary. When others cannot distinguish the terrorists from the covilians because the terrorists dress like civilians and hide among civilians, and because the covilians tolerate and allow it, then there is no recourse but to assume they are all terrorists or supporters of terrrorists.
That's why the Geneva Conventions were created- to encourage groups and nations to field soldiers instead of terrorists, to convince them to put military installations as far from hospitals, churches, residences and schools as practical, so as to PREVENT civilian casualties. Everyone thinks they were created to help get POWs good treatment but that's not really true- that was the incentive, not the objective, of the GC. Since terrorists have a natural advantage over soldiers by virtue of being able to hide among civilians on either side, to use them as shields, and are free from rules of engagement- and soldiers by definition are distinguishable from civilians by dress and rules of engagement, there was little or no reason for nations and groups to field soldiers when terrorists were so much more useful. So the Geneva convention was designed to offer incentives to behave like soldiers instead of terrorists, incentives for nations to use armies in uniform traceable to them instead of using proxies that were untraceable.
When people refuse to clean up their own families, someone else will have to do it for them. When palestinians do not remove the terrorists among them, someone else has to do it for them. If they cleaned up their act instead of becoming more and more radical and more and more pro-terrorist, there would be no need for anyone else to do it and houses would be spared because they would not be refuges or shields for terrorists.
This girl didn't have a clue as to what was in the house, why it was being destroyed, or the decisions involved in making it come to pass- she was in no position to know these things. Instead of DEBATING the issue of the destruction of houses using speech and reason- which is her right at least here in the US- she chose to "take the law into her own hands" and interfere in a matter of national security- in a war xone, no less. She got what she asked for.
If she had been blocking a runway to prevent a US bomber from taking off, I would say she deserves what she asked for if she gets shot and dragged off. Why? Because that bomber may be needed more than she knows and men on the ground fighting to protect our liberties may depend on it. This situation is no different from blocking the Israelis in carrying out their tasks in fighting the murderers who have sheltered among palestinian civilians- frequently with their support.
Translating for those who don't get my drift, it wasn't the Israelis who killed her- it was the unlawful combatants we call terrorists, who by their presence among civilians make civilians legitimate, albeit unfortunate targets. It was the responsibility of the Palestinian combatants to move all civilians to the rear long ago. Instead, they encourage civilians to join them so as to use them for cover.
The young woman should have been protesting the terrorists for endangering civilians in the first place, not protesting Israelis for fighting terrorists.
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