Cindy Corrie speaks at protest outside the National Building Museum in Washington DC. Photo courtesy of Jewish Voice for Peace

The Rachel Corrie Foundation proudly supports the growing Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. BDS seeks to hold Israeli companies, institutions, and their international collaborators accountable for human rights abuses committed against Palestinians under illegal Israeli occupation.
We celebrate several successes within the last year, including the National Building Museum’s cancellation of an award ceremony honoring Caterpillar Inc. Caterpillar supplies heavy equipment used to demolish Palestinian homes and infrastructure and is the focus of a long term education and boycott-divestment campaign by RCF, Evergreen State College students seeking to make their campus “Caterpillar free,” and other organizations nationwide. In September, the Corries delivered a petition to the museum – with thousands of signatures and 150 organizational sponsors – to rescind Caterpillar’s award.

As Middle East peoples engage in revolution, Israel’s stranglehold on Gaza continues. In a comprehensive November 2011 report, the Israeli human rights organization Gisha – Legal Center for Freedom of Movement concluded that Israel operates in breach of its obligations to Palestinians – especially Gazans – with inappropriate restrictions that control airspace, territorial waters, farmland, fishing areas, the population registry impacting where Palestinians can travel and live, the electric supply, the communications infrastructure, distribution of tax revenue, and movement of goods and people.

Projects

Alternative Radio’s David Barsamian inspires audience at Nov. 10 discussion, Uprisings: From Kashmir to Egypt to Wall Street. Photo courtesy of John Harvey.

• Presented Peace Works 2011: Solidarity in Action featuring Alice Walker, Sharif Abdel-Kouddous, Dr. Dalit Baum, Noura Erakat, and over 400 participants
• Participated in Move Over AIPAC conference & Washington DC actions
• Contributed to U.S. Campaign annual meeting in Washington DC
• Funded a water purification unit for Rafah, Gaza, kindergarten
• Supported 2011 Rachel Corrie Ramadan Soccer Tournament in Rafah
• Provided olive trees to Palestine farmers Engaged three RCF interns, two work study students, and countless volunteers.
• Educated the public and media about the Corrie family trial in Israel
• Led campaign to convince National Building Museum to cancel public ceremony for Caterpillar Inc.
• Supported local BDS efforts: TESC Divest and the Olympia Food Co-op
• Awarded the Rachel Corrie Memorial Scholarship at The Evergreen State College
• Managed Iraqi Student Solidarity Committee scholarship
• Educated U.S. members of Congress in district meetings with Corries, flotilla participants, Israeli Dorothy Naor, and local constituents
• Launched Gaza Pen Pal Project with UNWRA school
• Corresponded with key Iranian officials to support release of U.S. hikers held in Iranian prison.
• Supported Washington State participants on the U.S. Boat to Gaza
• Co-sponsored Maia Mural Brigade Delegation to Gaza
• Provided numerous Corrie family speaking events and interviews from at home in Olympia, Washington, to Istanbul, the West Bank, Jerusalem, Washington DC, Des Moines, Iowa, and McMinnville, Oregon – to name a few!

Dear Friends,

Cindy Corrie participating in Washington DC vigil for Troy Davis. Photo courtesy of Edie Garwood.

It’s become part of our annual ritual at the Rachel Corrie Foundation to write this end-of-year newsletter and use it as an opportunity to reflect on all that has been and all that can be. We dedicate this issue to Scott Kennedy – co- founder of the Resource Center for Nonviolence in Santa Cruz, former city council member and mayor, a giant contributor to efforts for justice and peace in Israel/Palestine, and our friend. Scott died unexpectedly November 19th – one week after leading his final tour to the Middle East with Interfaith Peace-Builders. In 2004, as mayor, he declared March 16th Rachel Corrie Day in Santa Cruz and said, “It is a very sad commentary on the state of political affairs in the United States that our national government has done virtually nothing to find out what happened…” In 2005, he hosted Craig and me and members of the family whose home Rachel stood to protect, in a memorable Santa Cruz visit. He was a brave, passionate man who helped us find our voices.

The Rachel Corrie Foundation has felt the impact of the economic crisis. While we steadfastly continue our work on exciting projects like Olympia’s first Arab Fest, a student pen pal project in Gaza, and support for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) efforts locally and beyond, we are also struggling to make ends meet.

Today, we enthusiastically and humbly turn to you for help, as we launch our first-ever matching donor campaign.

A very generous and anonymous supporter has stepped up to help us raise $15,000 by matching every donation of $10 and above that we receive from friends like you – up to a maximum of $7,500. We have through November 30th to meet the challenge. We hope you will help!

At a time when it is desperately needed, the Rachel Corrie Foundation is uniquely positioned to continue the work that began with Rachel’s journey to Gaza nearly nine years ago. In the few years of our existence, we have had a substantive, positive, and broad impact by providing a structure for learning, communicating, networking, and acting for a world grounded in justice where people live together in peace. Even as political leaders are mired in struggle, we continue to bring together diverse communities and to support individual and collaborative action for positive change. In multiple ways, we educate and foster grassroots action for a just peace in the Middle East.