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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>An eyewitness account of Rachel Corrie's murder
from ISM activist Tom in Rafah</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><A
href="http://www.indymedia.org.il/imc/israel/webcast/display.php3?article_id=52796">http://www.indymedia.org.il/imc/israel/webcast/display.php3?article_id=52796</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Many of you will of heard varying accounts of the
death of Rachel Corrie, maybe others will have heard nothing of it. Regardless,
I was 10 metres away when it happened 2 days ago, and this is the way it
went.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>We'd been monitoring and occasionally obstructing
the 2 bulldozers for about 2 hours when 1 of them turned toward a house we knew
to be threatened with demolition. Rachel knelt down in its way. She was 10-20
metres in front of the bulldozer, clearly visible, the only object for many
metres, directly in it's view. They were in Radio contact with a tank that had a
profile view of the situation. There is no way she could not have been seen by
them in their elevated cabin. They knew where she was, there is no
doubt.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The bulldozer drove toward Rachel slowly, gathering
earth in its scoop as it went. She knelt there, she did not move. The bulldozer
reached her and she began to stand up, climbing onto the mound of earth. She
appeared to be looking into the cockpit. The bulldozer continued to push Rachel,
so she slipped down the mound of earth, turning as she went. Her faced showed
she was panicking and it was clear she was in danger of being overwhelmed. All
the activists were screaming at the bulldozer to stop and gesturing to the crew
about Rachel's presence. We were in clear view as Rachel had been, they
continued. They pushed Rachel, first beneath the scoop, then beneath the blade,
then continued till her body was beneath the cockpit. They waited over her for a
few seconds, before reversing. They reversed with the blade pressed down, so it
scraped over her body a second time. Every second I believed they would stop but
they never did.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I ran for an ambulance, she was gasping and her
face was covered in blood from a gash cutting her face from lip to cheek. She
was showing signs of brain hemorrhaging. She died in the ambulance a few minutes
later of massive internal injuries. She was a brilliant, bright and amazing
person, immensely brave and committed. She is gone and I cannot believe
it.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The group here in Rafah has decided that we will
stay here and continue to oppose human rights abuses as best we
can.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Please: forward this message.<BR>Boycott
caterpillar<BR>Take direct action against the Caterpillar Corporation - please
do not let this be without cost to them. Legally, i shouldn't ask you to do
anything destructive or against the law.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>If you're wandering about Rachel: her writings,
photos of her and statements on her death are available on the below website.
More photos: go to yahoo news section, search for photos by
'rachel'.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>If you're wandering about the International
Solidarity Movement: <A
href="http://www.palsolidarity.org">www.palsolidarity.org</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>If you're wandering about the bulldozers: They're
American, Caterpillar made armoured D9 Bulldozers. I estimate the blade is maybe
8 ft high, 15 ft wide and more than 9 tons. They're purchased from America using
the $12billion per annum military aid package that America gives to Israel. For
a report on their previous usage: go to <A
href="http://www.gush-shalom.org/archives/kurdi_eng.html">http://www.gush-shalom.org/archives/kurdi_eng.html</A>
(well worth reading - especially if you didn't believe anyone would be crazy
enough to do this).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>If you're wandering about Rafah: in the southern
Gaza strip, next to the Egyptian border. Apart from suffering in excess from the
problems all over Palestine: Israeli manipulation of the water supply, economic
strangulation, regular shootings and army operations, Rafah is afflicted by the
building of an extra border wall. It has caused hundreds of homes to be
destroyed. The house in question, that of a doctor, like dozens of others in the
area is not set to be demolished because of any supposed link to militants. Only
because it lies within 100 metres of the new border wall, currently in
construction. Families receive no compensation from Israel, and are frequently
given just a few minutes warning in the form of live ammunition being shot
through the walls of their house.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>tom<BR></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>