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CNN
Haifa, Israel (CNN) — Nine years after an American activist was crushed by an Israeli army bulldozer, an Israeli civil court ruled Tuesday that Rachel Corrie’s death was an accident.
Corrie, 23, was killed in 2003 while trying to block the bulldozer from razing Palestinian homes. Her parents filed suit against Israel’s Ministry of Defense in a quest for accountability and sought just $1 in damages. But Judge Oded Gershon ruled Tuesday that the family has no right to damages, backing an earlier Israeli investigation that cleared any soldier of wrongdoing.
“I believe this was a bad day not only for our family, but a bad day for human rights, for humanity, for the rule of law and also for the country of Israel,” her mother, Cindy Corrie, said after the verdict. “Rachel’s right to life and dignity were violated by the Israeli military,” she said, adding that her daughter and her family deserve “accountability.” “A civil lawsuit is not a substitute for a credible investigation, which we never had. This lawsuit was our only recourse as a family,” Cindy Corrie explained.
But the state prosecutor’s office said the driver of the bulldozer couldn’t see Corrie.
“The death of Rachel Corrie is without a doubt a tragic accident,” the office said in a statement. “As the verdict states — the driver of the bulldozer and his commander had a very limited field of vision, such that they had no possibility of seeing Ms. Corrie and thus are exonerated of any blame for negligence.”
Hussein Abu Hussein, the Corrie family attorney, regards the decision as a “bad ruling” for the family and all activists. He said the Corries intend to appeal to Israel’s Supreme Court.
Corrie was nonviolently protesting the demolition of Palestinian civilian homes in Rafah, Gaza, when she died. She was working with the Palestinian-led International Solidarity Movement at the time.
Corrie’s parents say they have searched for answers in their daughter’s death for years. “The more we found out, the more likely that the killing was intentional, or at least incredibly reckless,” father Craig Corrie said in 2010.
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CNN
Haifa, Israel (CNN) — Nine years after an American activist was crushed by an Israeli army bulldozer, an Israeli civil court ruled Tuesday that Rachel Corrie’s death was an accident.
Corrie, 23, was killed in 2003 while trying to block the bulldozer from razing Palestinian homes. Her parents filed suit against Israel’s Ministry of Defense in a quest for accountability and sought just $1 in damages. But Judge Oded Gershon ruled Tuesday that the family has no right to damages, backing an earlier Israeli investigation that cleared any soldier of wrongdoing.
“I believe this was a bad day not only for our family, but a bad day for human rights, for humanity, for the rule of law and also for the country of Israel,” her mother, Cindy Corrie, said after the verdict. “Rachel’s right to life and dignity were violated by the Israeli military,” she said, adding that her daughter and her family deserve “accountability.” “A civil lawsuit is not a substitute for a credible investigation, which we never had. This lawsuit was our only recourse as a family,” Cindy Corrie explained.
But the state prosecutor’s office said the driver of the bulldozer couldn’t see Corrie.
“The death of Rachel Corrie is without a doubt a tragic accident,” the office said in a statement. “As the verdict states — the driver of the bulldozer and his commander had a very limited field of vision, such that they had no possibility of seeing Ms. Corrie and thus are exonerated of any blame for negligence.”
Hussein Abu Hussein, the Corrie family attorney, regards the decision as a “bad ruling” for the family and all activists. He said the Corries intend to appeal to Israel’s Supreme Court.
Corrie was nonviolently protesting the demolition of Palestinian civilian homes in Rafah, Gaza, when she died. She was working with the Palestinian-led International Solidarity Movement at the time.
Corrie’s parents say they have searched for answers in their daughter’s death for years. “The more we found out, the more likely that the killing was intentional, or at least incredibly reckless,” father Craig Corrie said in 2010.