Rachel Corrie wrote from Gaza, “Many people want their voices to be heard, and I think we need to use some of our privilege as internationals to get those voices heard directly in the US, rather than through the filter of well-meaning internationals such as myself.”

To highlight the experience of thousands in Rafah whose homes have been demolished, Khaled, Samah, and Sama Nasrallah, whose home Rachel Corrie protected, joined Cindy and Craig Corrie in June for a national speaking tour to 22 cities in California, Oregon, Washington, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa.

The Rachel Corrie Foundation supported the Nasrallah family’s US travel, and in partnership with The Rebuilding Alliance and enthusiastic local hosts, engaged Americans with stories from Palestine and rebuilding efforts in Gaza. “We believe it is important for the people of Gaza to see that Americans know what has happened to them, that we understand, and are taking responsibility for that,” said Cindy Corrie.

The nine members of the Nasrallah family lived in their home for seven months after Rachel Corrie was killed, hoping that it would be spared. On tour, Khaled Nasrallah recalled, “You just can’t imagine the bullets, they are not normal bullets. The Israelis would fire them at our house and we would hide in the bathroom because it was in the middle of the house and the bullets could go through three walls. No one was safe. Our house was endangered and no one would visit us.”

We arrived in Israel and Palestine in late December for a remarkable international conference in Bethlehem, “Celebrating Nonviolent Resistance” and with intentions of traveling to Gaza early in January. Five members of the Olympia-Rafah Sister City Project were already working in Rafah at the southernmost part of the Gaza Strip–some for up to two months. They were having ongoing discussion with Palestinians about security issues. After careful consideration of the growing tensions surrounding upcoming elections and recent kidnappings, we agreed to travel to Gaza as planned, while continuing to carefully monitor the situation.

On the afternoon of January 2nd we arrived in the Gaza Strip where we anticipated spending five days reconnecting with friends and carrying out work for the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice and also for the Olympia-Rafah Sister City Project and The Rebuilding Alliance. We had wonderful reunions with the two families whose home our daughter Rachel Corrie tried to protect when she was killed in 2003, and with friends that we have made in the Gaza community since.

Dear Friends,

2005 has been a brisk and full year for the Rachel Corrie Foundation and for our family. We have traveled to talk about the plight of Palestinians and have networked with those working for an end to the illegal Israeli occupation and a just, secure peace for all in the Middle East. Supported by generous hosts, we have taken our message to high schools, colleges, churches, homes, and peace and justice centers across the country.

We joined Friends of Sabeel North America at conferences in Atlanta, Austin, Cedar Falls, and Denver and the Baptist Peace Fellowship North America at their 20th annual summer conference at Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon. In Madison, Wisconsin, we shared the stage with our Gazan friends Khaled, Samah, and Sama Nasrallah, as we all addressed a regional conference of the U.S. Campaign to End the Occupation. In Seattle and Chicago, sharing one of Rachel’s e-mails from Gaza, Cindy joined inspired activists reading powerful narratives from Howard Zinn’s and Anthony Arnove’s recently published Voices of a People’s History. During a beautiful New England October, we traveled the bucolic roads of the Granite State, speaking in several communities and lending a boost to New Hampshire Peace Action’s newly formed Palestine Education Network. With Presbyterians in Seattle and the Divestment Project in Somerville, we explained the importance of supporting selective divestment from corporations that benefit directly from the Israeli occupation; and in London, Cindy joined War on Want activists educating Oxford Street merchants about the Caterpillar boots and clothing being sold in their stores. There, too, at The Royal Court Theatre in Sloane Square, we attended sold-out performances of “My Name is Rachel Corrie,” drawn entirely from Rachel’s lifelong writings, edited by actor Alan Rickman and Kathryn Viner of Guardian International, directed by Mr. Rickman, and performed by the ex-pat American actress Megan Dodds. Craig and other family members walked the halls of the U.S. Congress and the Departments of State and Justice continuing the challenging work of seeking accountability from the U.S. Government and an independent investigation into Rachel’s killing. A host of interviews resulted in articles in publications including the Guardian Unlimited, the Los Angeles Times, and the Des Moines Register, as well as segments on CNN International, Democracy Now! and National Public Radio of Iowa.

The following speech was written by the family of Rachel Corrie and read on Saturday, April 12, 2003 at numerous peace rallies around the world. Rachel was an accomplished writer and cared deeply about working for justice and peace in the world.