April 2005

Views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of the AFSC.

Murdered Nonviolent Activist Commemorated

The Rebuilding Alliance is a human rights action group working to safeguard housing rights in regions of conflict, starting with Israel and Palestine. By mobilizing thousands of Americans to help rebuild demolished homes and schools, and advocating for changes in US and Israeli policies, TRA helps Palestinian families keep their homes. Rebuilding Alliance, 457 Kingsley Avenue, Palo Alto, California 94301, 650/325-4663, info@RebuildingAlliance.org, http://RebuildingAlliance.org

Rachel Corrie was one of thousands of people from around the world who have joined the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), a group of Palestinian-led international activists who use nonviolent methods and strategies to confront the Israeli occupation.

Members of the Nasrallah family commemorating Rachel Corrieís life on the spot where she was murdered while nonviolently trying to protect the Nasrallahsí home two years earlier. The Israeli Separation Wall is in the background.

On March 16, 2003, the Israeli military drivers of a Caterpillar D9R bulldozer crushed Rachel Corrie to death while she was trying to prevent the demolition of a Palestinian home in Rafah near the Egyptian border. Rachel, in her orange fluorescent ISM jacket, was clearly visible. At the time, Rachel, 23-years old, was nonviolently safeguarding the home of the Nasrallahs, a family with whom she had stayed.

Since then, the Israeli military has demolished the entire neighborhood, rendering an additional 17,000 people homeless.

To commemorate the anniversary of Rachel's murder, the Nasarallah families braved Israeli Defense Forces loudspeaker warnings, and eventually machine gun fire nearby, to gather at the place where Rachel Corrie was killed, the site of their home and 2200 neighboring homes, now all destroyed, in Rafah, Gaza.

The Nasrallah family wrote the following letter to Rachel and her family:

"Dear Rachel, Craig, Cindy, and the Corrie Family:

Rachel, on your anniversary, we would like to tell you that we are proud of you and will never forget you; we will do our best to help plant your green thoughts of a new world [where] people [will] smile and live in peace as human beings in spite of the physical borders that distinguish nations.

We are so proud of all who value your role and continue your road, not only by words but also through action by all peaceful means.

Finally you must [be] proud of your parents and your family. Ever since the world lost you, they still struggle and step over all obstacles to achieve your dreams.

In Condolence,
The Nasrallah Family"

To help the Nasrallah Family rebuild their home, and to send a signal that people around the world care, The Rebuilding Alliance is asking activists around the world to host "Live from Gaza & Olympia" house parties, which will feature, for those hosts equipped with webcams, a live video feed both from the Nasrallahs in Gaza and from Cindy and Craig Corrie, Rachel's parents, on April 21 and April 22, 2005. Contact the Rebuilding Alliance to participate.

End Israeli Bulldozing: Protest Caterpillar

Information from Jewish Voice for Peace, www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org, 1611 Telegraph Avenue, Suite 500, Oakland, CA 94612, 510/465-1777.

Since 1967, the Israeli army has used Caterpillar bulldozers to destroy thousands of homes, public buildings, and commercial properties in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem. Caterpillar equipment has also been used to destroy hundreds of thousands of olive trees in rural Palestine. Most recently, the Israeli army is using Caterpillar bulldozers to construct a massive separation wall and fence that cuts off and isolates vast portions of occupied Palestinian territory.

The Arms Export Control Act prohibits the use of US weapons against civilians and for anything other than "internal security" or "legitimate self-defense." Because Israel uses the bulldozers to further the illegal occupation of Palestine, these sales are illegal.

Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) has filed a shareholder resolution against the sale of Caterpillar equipment to the Israeli army. The resolution will be discussed at Caterpillar's shareholder meeting in Chicago on April 13, 2005. To increase the pressure, JVP is calling for a global Day of Action against Caterpillar on that day. In addition to a large protest outside the meeting in Chicago, and actions in other countries, local actions have already been organized across the US. The focus will be on creative nonviolent actions outside local Caterpillar dealerships (for a list, please see www.catdestroyshomes.org/downloads/CatDirectory.pdf). For a complete updated list of planned actions, please see www.catdestroyshomes.org/calendar.php. Letters to the Editor of local newspapers are also quite useful.

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