State: IDF not to blame for activist Rachel Corrie's death
State Prosecution asks court to dismiss civil suit filed by U.S. activist's family against Israel.
By Haaretz Service Tags: Israel newsThe State Prosecutor's Office appealed Thursday to the Haifa District Court to dismiss outright the civil suit filed by U.S. activist Rachel Corrie's family against the Defense Ministry for unspecified compensation for their daughter's death.
Corrie was 24 when she was struck and killed in 2003 by an Israel Defense Forces bulldozer as she and other activists tried to stop Israel razing homes in Rafah by using their bodies as human shields.
The driver said he did not see her, and the Israel Defense Forces has ruled her death an accident - a version her parents reject.
"The driver of the bulldozer and his commander had a very limited field of vision, such that they had no possibility of seeing Ms. Corrie," the Prosecutor's office said in a statement, adding that the incident was considered "a military action in the course of war" which exempts the state from responsibility for it.
The statement also said that "Rachel Corrie was injured as a result of her prohibited action, for which she is solely responsible, due to her considerable negligence and lack of caution."
At Wednesday's opening of the civil case, the Corries' lawyer demanded a new investigation into her death, to which the States Prosecutor responded: "The IDF thoroughly investigated the incident, including a Military Police investigation, in the framework of which considerable evidence was collected."
"The bulldozer driver and commander were investigated by the Military Police and the unequivocal conclusion was reached that they did not see ? and could not have seen - Ms. Corrie due to the bulldozer's limited field of vision," the statement added.
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Cindy Corrie, left, and Craig Corrie, right, the parents of Rachel Corrie, at Haifa District Court on Wednesday. |
| Photo by: (AP) |
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There needs to be seen to be a full and transparent judicial look at this case. No one should be able to go away believing there was a cover up.
Your convoluted analogy is what we've come to expect from zionists who have succeeded in turning world opinion totally against israel, and it is we diaspora jews who must bear the brunt of the rise in anti-semitism caused by such hyperbole. She was NOT standing in front of a train, as we all know -- She was in front of a house demolition on occupied territory, both violations of the Geneva conventions. Whether it be Geneva Conventions, UN resolutions, american demands to stop illegal settlements, refusal to sign nuclear non-proliferation treaties, etc., israel is destroying itself from within. mark aleshnick Okinawa, Japan
what were they thinking ..allowing their daughter into a war zone..i fell sorry for their lose but really they should be looking at the people who guided her into this lifestyle..i just cannot get the pictures of her burning the american flag out of my mind..
It has been obvious from 2000+ years of history that nobody cares about us except us. So it is important to stand together. If something is good for us then we must all do what we can to make it happen. And if it is bad for us then we must all try to get rid of it. When it is good for some and bad for others then we must look at the good and the bad and think of fair play and work out some sort of compromise. But why should we compromise with our enemies? They never want to compromise unless they have nothing to lose and much to gain. Friends deserve whatever we can spare for them. Enemies deserve to be stomped flat, stomped into a thin smear. Rachel Corrie was an enemy to Israel.
If you stand in front of a moving train trying to stop it how on earth do you possibly claim intent or negligence? All the negative intent and negligence rests not with the engineer or in this case, the driver, but with one person ONLY: the damned trouble-making fool that stood there and got mowed-down!
Had she been Jewish and visiting Israel the two dummies from comments 1 and 2 would be shouting to sue Iran if she was was injured in a "terror" attack. Zionism is becoming synonymous with idiocy.
Your comment sends shivers through my spine! What incredible cynicism! Disgusting! I hope you are not an average representative of people in Israel! If you are, no wonder the world is turning against you!
If this stupid little girl wants to stand in front of a bulldozer then she deserves what she got. Dont blame anybody else because they did not make her stand there. Its just a pity she died for a terrorist org....What a waste
As we feared and we warned Goldstone your report would be biased and abused to be used against Israel but you did not want to listen and now we have the pro palestinian group ISM demanding a boycot of H&M as it opens a clothing shop in Israel based on your nonsense report. Corrie was a short sighted anti Israel activist who is part of a group called ISM which is not against Hamas or Palestinian rights abuses but purely against Israel. Corrie died as she was stupid enough to jump in front of a bulldozer while she could easily have stepped aside. It is a waste she died but for the average Jewish Israeli it is a non event. She refused to use her common sense and step aside for a bulldozer a pity but nothing to be bothered about, as we would say it was her choice. Now for the group she stands for, Haaretz does not call it pro Palestinian but just a human rights group, a bit weird for a Jewish paper or not?