Judge Oded Gershon | The Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice

Corrie Family and Legal Team to Hold Press Conference Monday, July 11, 2011 at American Colony Hotel, Jerusalem

Posted on July 10, 2011

(Haifa, Israel – 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. […]

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State Again Reschedules Testimony of Col. Pinky Zuaretz

Posted on April 26, 2011

Court Canceled April 27 – Witness Now Slated to Testify on Original May 22 Date

(Haifa, Israel – April 26, 2011) – In another round of last minute maneuvering, attorneys for the State in Corrie vs. State of Israel requested that testimony from their highest-ranking witness be postponed. Former Brigade Commander Colonel Pinhas (Pinky) Zuaretz, who was scheduled to testify on April 27, will not testify until May 22.

The witness was originally scheduled to testify on May 22, but on April 17, just before the court recessed for Israel’s Passover holiday, the State filed an emergency request to move Zuaretz’s testimony forward by nearly a month. Haifa District Court Judge Oded Gershon granted the government motion, without hearing from the Corrie family’s lawyers, citing availability of the witness as the main factor in his ruling.

Only after the court granted this request did the State provide Corrie family lawyers with Zuaretz’s five-page witness affidavit, though the document was signed nearly three weeks earlier. […]

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Unit Commander Says Ordered to Continue Bulldozer Work Despite Danger to Civilians

Posted on April 4, 2011

Corrie Trial Spotlights Israeli Accountability For Unlawful Killing of Nonviolent Protester

(Haifa, Israel – April 4, 2011) – The commander of the unit that killed Rachel Corrie told a Haifa court on Sunday that he was ordered to continue bulldozer work even though it presented danger to civilians, including foreign activists, who were present in the area and could not be dispersed.

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Known to the court as Captain S.R., the Bedouin officer said that he actually requested to halt bulldozer operations on the day Rachel was killed, because he thought civilians might be hurt, but was ordered to continue.

“Today’s testimonies provide further strong evidence regarding the Israeli military failure to take necessary and reasonable measures to protect Rachel’s life and prevent her avoidable tragic death. They also underscore the systemic inadequacy of the military investigation system which in this case, was nothing but a whitewash,” said Attorney Hussein Abu Hussein, who represents the Corrie family. “More than eight years after Rachel’s death, we are uncovering new pieces of the truth despite a wall of secrecy and lack of transparency.” […]

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Corrie Trial Resumes in Haifa Court with Testimony of Bulldozer Unit Commander

Posted on March 29, 2011

Trial Spotlights Israeli Accountability For Unlawful Killing of Nonviolent Protester

(Haifa, Israel – March 29, 2011) – After a five month recess, the Haifa District Court will resume hearings Sunday, April 3, in the civil lawsuit filed by Rachel Corrie’s family against the State of Israel for her unlawful killing in Rafah, Gaza on March 16, 2003. Rachel was an American student activist and human rights defender who was crushed by a Caterpillar D9R bulldozer while nonviolently protesting the demolition of Palestinian homes.

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The commander of the unit that killed Rachel is scheduled to testify. Known to the court as S.R., he oversaw the bulldozer work from an armored personnel carrier at the scene. While numerous military witnesses in the case have been permitted to testify behind a screen to protect their identity – a highly unusual security measure – S.R. is expected to do so in the open because his identity is already known to the public. […]

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Corrie trial continues in Israeli court November 4

Posted on November 2, 2010

Bulldozer commander to testify in plain view

(Haifa, Israel – November 2, 2010)– The Haifa District Court will continue hearings on Thursday, November 4, in the civil lawsuit filed by Rachel Corrie’s family against the State of Israel for her unlawful killing in Rafah, Gaza.

The bulldozer commander who was the second soldier in the bulldozer that ran over and killed Rachel Corrie is scheduled to testify, and is expected to do so in plain view. The driver of this bulldozer testified last month, but did so behind a screen, after government lawyers requested the court allow him to he do so for security reasons. However, because the commander’s face was already known to the public, the court ruled he would not be granted the same extraordinary security measures. […]

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