After nearly a decade of searching for justice, the Corrie family suffered another disappointment on Tuesday after an Israeli court dismissed a civil suit filed against the government of Israel over the killing of their daughter and sister, Rachel Corrie. The court found that the State of Israel was not at fault in the death of the 23-year-old peace activist from Olympia, Washington, who was crushed by an Israeli army Caterpillar bulldozer as she attempted to prevent the destruction of Palestinian homes in Gaza in 2003.
The IPMN was privileged to host Rachel’s parents, Cindy and Craig Corrie, at the 220th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in July 2012 when divestment of church funds from Caterpillar Inc. was under consideration. Regrettably, fear tactics and misinformation won the day by a razor-thin margin at the 220th GA, so church funds continue to be invested in Caterpillar.
“We believe that justice will ultimately prevail and socially irresponsible corporations will pay a price for profiting from oppression and occupation,” said Carol Hylkema, moderator of the IPMN. “No one who considers themselves a conscientious Christian or citizen of the world should be investing in Caterpillar and other corporations that profit from cruel and illegal home demolitions and other Israeli abuses of Palestinian human rights.”
The IPMN, along with people of conscience around the world, mourns Tuesday’s verdict and prays for healing for the Corrie family. We are hopeful that a peace with justice will soon come to Palestine and that Rachel’s efforts for innocent Palestinian families will not have been in vain.
