FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 2011

Craig and Cindy Corrie, the parents of peace activist Rachel Corrie, will hold a press conference tomorrow, Monday, July 11, at 11:00 at the American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem to discuss the conclusion of testimonies in their civil case against the State of Israel for their daughter’s killing, as well as next steps in their efforts to seek accountability. They will be joined by Rachel’s sister, Sarah Corrie Simpson, and Attorney Hussein Abu Hussein.

Download this press release: العربية (pdf, 616.52 kB), English (pdf, 535.31 kB), עִבְרִית (pdf, 585.69 kB)

Rachel Corrie, an American peace activist and human rights defender from Olympia, Washington, was crushed to death on March 16, 2003, by an Israeli military Caterpillar D9R bulldozer while nonviolently protesting the demolition of Palestinian civilian homes with fellow members of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), in Rafah, Gaza.

Since the trial opened in March 2010, 15 hearings have been held, with over 2000 pages of court transcripts recorded from 23 testimonies – including that of 15 Israeli military personnel, and four peace activist eye-witnesses with the International Solidarity Movement.

WHAT: Press Conference with family of Rachel Corrie and legal team.

WHEN: Monday, July 11, 2011 at 11:00 a.m.

WHERE: Pasha Room, American Colony Hotel, Jerusalem, 1 Louis Vincent Street, Jerusalem

The press conference will be held in English, with attorneys available at the conclusion for brief interviews in both Arabic and Hebrew. Oral testimonies in the case are scheduled to conclude in Haifa today.

By Cindy Corrie, Originally published in The Guardian

My daughter’s death shows the cruelty of an America that won’t protect its own and is complicit in harming Palestinian civilians

When Greek authorities prevented the US ship the Audacity of Hope leaving its port in Athens this week, they dealt a blow to a group of brave and principled Americans who were trying to carry thousands of letters from US citizens to those who wait on Gaza’s shores.

I know many of the people who were on this boat, and my family’s letter was part of their cargo. In 2003 my daughter Rachel Corrie made her journey to Gaza and was run down and killed by a US-made Israeli military Caterpillar D-9 bulldozer. She was trying to protect a Gazan family and their home, one of thousands illegally destroyed in Israeli military clearing operations.

Now my family is on a parallel journey with those activists as we return this week to Israeli court to confront Colonel Pinhas Zuaretz, the commanding officer of the Gaza Division’s Southern Brigade in 2003. His testimony should shed light not only on actions of troops responsible for Rachel’s killing but also on the Israeli military’s broad failures as an occupying power to protect civilian life and property.

This week’s flotilla was travelling to Gaza, as Rachel did, to stand with Palestinians against oppression and illegal occupation and for a just, enduring peace.

Read the entire article here.

Corrie Family and Legal Team to Hold Press Conference Monday, July 11, at American Colony Hotel, Jerusalem

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 7, 2011

(Haifa, Israel – July 7, 2011) – Former Gaza Division’s Southern Brigade Commander, Colonel Pinhas (Pinky) Zuaretz – the final witness in the case – is scheduled to testify Sunday, July 10, in the Corrie civil trial against the State of Israel.

Colonel Zuaretz was the commanding officer of the Israeli military’s Gaza Division’s Southern Brigade in 2003, when American peace activist Rachel Corrie was killed. Troops under his command were responsible for the actions resulting in her killing. Zuaretz is the highest ranking officer called as a government witness in the civil trial who had command responsibility in Gaza. He is possibly the highest such officer ever to face cross examination in a civil suit regarding the actions of the Israeli military against civilians in Gaza during the second intifada. His testimony is expected to shed light on the Israeli military’s failures as an occupying power to protect civilian life and property in the region.

Download this press release: العربية (pdf, 630.19 kB), English (pdf, 554.97 kB), עִבְרִית (pdf, 596.58 kB)

Anticipated as Final Hearing in Corrie Case

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 10, 2011

(Haifa, Israel – June 10, 2011) – Former Gaza Division’s Southern Brigade Commander, Colonel Pinhas (Pinky) Zuaretz, has confirmed with the court that he will testify Sunday, July 10, in what is anticipated to be the final hearing in the Corrie civil trial against the State of Israel. Zuaretz is the last witnesses currently scheduled to testify on behalf of the State.

Colonel Zuaretz was the commanding officer of the Gaza Division’s Southern Brigade in 2003, when American peace activist Rachel Corrie was killed. Troops under Zuaretz’ command were responsible for the military’s actions resulting in Rachel’s killing in Rafah, Gaza that day. Zuaretz is the highest ranking officer called as a government witness in the civil trial, and, possibly, the highest ranking Israeli military officer ever to face cross examination in a civil suit regarding the actions of the Israeli military against civilians in Gaza during the second intifada. His testimony is expected to shed light on the Israeli military’s failures as an occupying power to protect civilian life and property in the region.

The lawsuit, filed in 2005 by Attorney Hussein abu Hussein, charges the State of Israel with responsibility for killing American peace activist Rachel Corrie in Rafah, Gaza in 2003. Since the trial opened in March 2010, over 2000 pages of court transcripts have been recorded, from more than 20 testimonies, including that of 14 military personnel. Most government witnesses were identified only by their initials, and nearly half testified while hidden behind a screen.

Colonel Pinhas (Pinky) Zuaretz’s Testimony Was, Yet Again, Postponed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 24, 2011

(Haifa, Israel – May 24, 2011) – Former IDF spokesperson, Ruth Yaron, took the stand in Haifa, Israel Sunday, May 22, in what was anticipated to be the final hearing in the ongoing civil lawsuit Corrie vs. the State of Israel. However, the appearance of former Gaza Division Southern Brigade Commander Col. Pinhas (Pinky) Zuaretz was, yet again, postponed.

Zuaretz’s testimony was tentatively rescheduled for July 10, 2011, with the State being given 15 days to respond.

Yaron’s testimony focused on the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), in a weak attempt by the State to justify the military’s killing of Rachel by delegitimizing the organization’s mission of resisting the Israeli Occupation of Palestinian lands using only non-violent, direct action, methods. Rachel was an unarmed civilian, non-violently protesting against home demolitions in Rafah, Gaza, when she was killed. Yaron provided no first-hand knowledge of events, and relied heavily on second or third hand sources and hearsay.

Additional information about Yaron’s testimony will be released in the future.

Attending Sunday’s proceedings were two officials from the American Embassy, including US Consul General Andrew Parker, as well as legal and human rights observers from the organizations Advocats Sans Frontières, Al Haq, and the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICHAD).

Please visit http://rachelcorriefoundation.org/trial for updates, last minute changes to the court schedule and related information.
For press related inquiries, please contact: Email: press@rachelcorriefoundation.org Phone: Sarah (in Israel) at +972-52-952-2143