Israeli court ruled death of U.S. activist an accident

Πηγή: FP
By Mary Casey
August 28 2012

On Tuesday, the Haifa District Court ruled that Israel was not responsible for the death of Rachel Corrie, a U.S. activist killed in 2003 when crushed by a military bulldozer as she was protesting the demolition of Palestinian homes in the Gaza Strip. 

In March 2003, during the second intifada, Corrie, wearing an orange vest, stood between an Israeli Defense Forces bulldozer and the home of a Palestinian family. 

The army was demolishing houses as in a campaign to put a stop to attacks on soldiers and Jewish settlers in southern Gaza. 

According to the United Nations, the military displaced over 17,000 Gazans during the Palestinian uprising that began in 2000. The lawyer representing Israel claimed the bulldozer driver had not seen Corrie, while the lawyer for the Corrie family showed pictures of Rachel in the bright vest maintaining, "anyone could have seen." 

Reading the verdict, Judge Oded Bershon said the death was a "regrettable accident" during "a military activity mean to protest terrorist activity." 

He continued, "She chose to put herself in danger. She could have easily distanced herself from the danger like and reasonable person would." 

The Corrie family launched the civil case after a military investigation cleared the army of wrongdoing. Next, they plan to appeal the decision to Israel's Supreme Court.