Little has changed in Gaza since peace activist Rachel Corrie was crushed beneath an Israeli bulldozer 15 years ago

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 American peace activist Rachel Corrie tries to stop an Israeli bulldozer from destroying Palestinian homes on March 16, 2003, in a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. (Getty Images)
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Updated 10 May 2018
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Little has changed in Gaza since peace activist Rachel Corrie was crushed beneath an Israeli bulldozer 15 years ago

  • Renewed violence in the Gaza Strip after the 15-year anniversary of Corrie's death has left at least 42 Palestinians dead and hundreds injured in the hands of Israeli forces
  • The first Palestinian uprising, or intifada, against Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza lasted from 1987 until 1991 and was followed by a second period of intensified violence from September 2000 to February 2005. 

LONDON: Palestinian homes were being demolished in waves when Rachel Corrie, a 23-year-old American peace activist, arrived in Rafah, Gaza, at the height of the second intifada in January 2003. 

Her mother, Cindy, recalled how affected Corrie was by the suffering she saw, pouring out her experiences in long journal entries and emails home that have since been published, turned into plays and quoted in documentaries. 

“Every time Palestinians did anything, the Israeli military would use it as an excuse to raze another row of houses — they just kept taking down row after row,” Cindy said. 

Three months later, Corrie stepped into the path of an Israeli military bulldozer, hoping the “international white person privilege” she had observed in Gaza would be enough to protect the Nasrallah family home, one of the few still standing in the area. 

Witness accounts detail the horrific scene that unfolded as the giant Caterpillar D9R bulldozer plowed over the slight figure clad in an orange fluorescent jacket before reversing back over her body and pulling away. Corrie died a short while later, her lungs crushed, ribs fractured and vital organs ruptured. 

Weeks after the 15-year anniversary of her death on March 16, 2003, renewed violence in the Gaza Strip is a reminder that little here has changed.

At least 42 Palestinians have been killed and hundreds injured by Israeli forces during demonstrations as thousands of Gazans demand the right to return to lands they were driven from by Israeli settlements.

The first Palestinian uprising, or intifada, against Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza lasted from 1987 until 1991 and was followed by a second period of intensified violence from September 2000 to February 2005. 

The current protests — scheduled to run for six weeks — are due to end on May 15, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the Nakba (catastrophe) this month when 750,000 Palestinians lost their homes on the day Israel was created in 1948. 

Reports of mounting casualties, including the killing of children and non-violent protesters, have revived international indignation, but for those living under occupation in Gaza and the West Bank, the violence appears endless. In her emails, Corrie described the “chronic, insidious genocide” she was witnessing. “I’m questioning my fundamental belief in the goodness of human nature. This has to stop.” 

Tracing their daughter’s footsteps in Gaza after her death, the Corries visited the Nasrallah home. Their daughter had often stayed over, curled up on the floor with the children in their parents’ room at the back, far from the bullets Israeli soldiers sometimes sprayed at the walls from tanks passing at night.

She made her first call home from the house, trying to appear calm as the sounds of nearby shelling echoed down the line to her parents in Charlotte, North Carolina. “Her voice was trembling … I don’t think we said anything after we got off the phone that evening,” her mother recalled.

By then, little was left of the once-large neighborhood in southern Gaza, near the war-torn Egyptian border. “All the homes had already been destroyed by the Israeli military … they would go past and just fire the guns into the houses, trying to get people to move out,” her father, Craig Corrie, told Arab News. 

The Israeli military had been steadily demolishing houses to widen the “buffer zone” between Gaza and Egypt, ostensibly for security purposes. 

A Human Rights Watch report from 2004 said that almost 16,000 people, more than 10 percent of Rafah’s population, lost their homes in this way, making many refugees for a second or third time.

The day she died, Corrie received a call at 2 p.m. from a fellow activist telling her the Nasrallah house was about to be flattened. She had formed a close bond with many Palestinians in the community through her work with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), which protests against the occupation using non-violent methods, including sit-ins at homes, wells and other sites earmarked for demolition. Leaping into a taxi, she raced to the site.

Just before 5 p.m., one of the bulldozers started rumbling toward a wall near the house and Corrie positioned herself in front of it. Before, the bulldozers had always stopped short of hitting the ISM activists, but this time the massive machine carried on, despite screams and waves from onlookers.

Different versions of the circumstances surrounding Corrie’s death emerged in the aftermath as the Israeli military sought to distance itself, later claiming a wall had collapsed and crushed her. Giving testimony from behind a screen in court, the driver of the bulldozer said he was unable to see Corrie from the cabin. Witnesses who worked alongside the activist said there is “no doubt” he knew where she was. 

Days after the incident, Tom Dale, a British activist who was nearby when she died, told the ISM: “The bulldozer continued to push Rachel, so she slipped down the mound of earth, turning as she went. Her face showed she was panicking and it was clear she was in danger of being overwhelmed.”

The Israeli government later described it as a “regrettable incident” and promised a “thorough, credible, and transparent investigation.” In 2015, after years of trials, the Corries’ case came to a close when a judge in Israel’s Supreme Court upheld an earlier ruling absolving the Israeli state and army from responsibility. Nobody was ever convicted for her death.

Corrie had educated herself about Palestine in the aftermath of 9/11 and “very deliberately” made the decision to go to Gaza. “She said she was going to see what it was like to be on the other end of US foreign policy. I think she really wanted to go and learn about how to be in solidarity with people that are struggling,” her father said. 

At first, it was difficult for the ISM volunteers to gain the trust of the local community, but Corrie immersed herself in Gazan life, eating and sleeping in family homes, and embracing Palestinian customs and culture. “She loved them and they loved her,” recalls Abdul Raouf Rarbakh, who was in charge of a children’s organization in Rafah at the time.

On the day she died, Corrie had been playing football with local youths but had been “very sad,” he said. “She was killed on the same day that a Palestinian was killed. We organized a funeral for her with the Palestinian martyr.”

The Corries have often been asked to explain why the death of “a blonde American girl” has dwarfed the loss of Palestinian lives in the media. “I think Rachel would have agreed ... but if the death of a blonde American makes us pay attention to all those others then we’re OK with that,” her father said. “I would hope she would be, too.” 

Several other foreign civilians were killed by Israeli forces in the months after Corrie’s death, including another ISM volunteer, 21-year-old Tom Hurndall, who was shot in the head on April 5 while rescuing two Palestinian girls from gunfire. The following month, James Miller, a 35-year-old Briton, was shot in the neck while filming an HBO documentary along the Egyptian border.

Yet it is Corrie who has since become an icon of solidarity for Palestinians in Gaza.

“She will always be part of the history of that place,” her father said. “Here we are, 15 years later, and her story still resonates.”

Watching the latest round of protests, the Corries feel “an absolute responsibility” toward the people of Gaza as they try to rouse the world to action through the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice. “People only pay attention when they see particular violence, but the occupation is always violent,” Craig said.

Today, the Nasrallah house is long gone and the land it stood on has become a barren border zone. Entry is restricted to landowners and the families who lived here have become refugees.

Iyad Abu Louly, who remembers Corrie as one of the “prominent personalities” among the ISM volunteers, now heads up the Rachel Corrie Human Rights Center, which documents violations committed by the occupation against Palestinians. 

It is the same goal that Corrie had when she went to Gaza.

“Her memory will remain immortal in the hearts of the Palestinian people,” he said.

Decoder

What is the Nakba?

It is the exodus of more than 700,000 Palestinians who fled or were expelled from their homes during the 1948 war.


Jordanian police cordon off area in vicinity of Israeli embassy after gunshots heard - witnesses

Gendarmerie officers stand guard near the Israeli embassy in Amman, Jordan. (REUTERS file photo)
Updated 11 sec ago
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Jordanian police cordon off area in vicinity of Israeli embassy after gunshots heard - witnesses

AMMAN: Jordanian police cordon off area in vicinity of Israeli embassy after gunshots heard - witnesses

 

 


How should Arab Americans deal with Trump administration?

Updated 24 November 2024
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How should Arab Americans deal with Trump administration?

  • Michigan-based businessman Ned Fawaz tells “The Ray Hanania Radio Show” the community should opt for engagement, not boycott
  • Civil rights attorney David Chami sees a double standard that plays down anti-Arab racism while amplifying pro-Israel narratives

CHICAGO: A prominent Arab American businessman from Michigan has called on Arab and Muslim communities to abandon the boycott strategy they adopted during Donald Trump’s first presidency and instead engage with his administration to address pressing issues, including the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. However, an Arizona civil rights attorney cautioned that the plea coincides with what he views as a concerning surge in anti-Arab racism and Islamophobia.

Speaking on “The Ray Hanania Radio Show,” Ned Fawaz, president of the Lebanese International Business Council and founder of the American Arab Chamber of Commerce in Michigan; and David Chami, a civil rights attorney representing students sanctioned by Arizona State University for anti-Israel protests, urged the community to prioritize dialogue over boycotts. They acknowledged what they view as Trump’s polarizing reputation and pro-Israel cabinet appointments, and argued that there is a rising tide of hatred toward Arabs and Muslims, but also highlighted the importance of engagement to influence policymaking.

Fawaz said that dialogue is essential to influencing US policy. “It’s bad to boycott. After all, we’re American. We have issues (other than just) the Middle East as well. And I think we should all dialogue and talk, and be ready to communicate with the president, with any administration, because we cannot just sit aside and do nothing.”

Donald Trump meeting with Arab American leaders in Dearborn, Michigan, on Nov. 01, 2024, days before the election./ Getty Images/AFP)

He urged Arab Americans to seize “every opportunity” to push Trump to end the violence and foster a climate for lasting peace, including support for the two-state solution for Palestinians. “Yes, always, negotiation makes better sense than boycotting. We believe in evolution. We do not believe in revolution. So, that’s the way it should be,” Fawaz said, highlighting the importance of engaging with the US president regardless of who holds the office, to address issues affecting both Arab American citizens and the Middle East.

Trump, who defeated Democratic rival Kamala Harris in both the electoral college and by popular vote on Nov. 5, remains a controversial figure in the Arab American community. However, as suggested by a pre-election survey by Arab News, many view Trump as the leader best equipped to end the Gaza conflict, despite his perceived closeness to Israel.

During his first term, Arab Americans overwhelmingly supported Democrat Hillary Clinton during the election and grew frustrated with Trump’s policies in office, including his anti-immigration stances and strong backing of Israel. The community boycotted several key initiatives, such as the 2020 Peace to Prosperity Conference in Bahrain, organized by Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and opposed the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and some Arab states like the UAE, Morocco and Bahrain.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators protest in support of the Palestinians who have died in Gaza outside of the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, on August 11, 2024. (AFP)

Adding to an already complex geopolitical situation, on Thursday, after months of deliberation, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former defense minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas official Mohammed Deif, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The charges stem from the war in Gaza and the October 2023 attacks that triggered Israel’s extensive offensive in the Palestinian territory.

While the suspects are unlikely to appear before judges at The Hague — since Israel is not an ICC member — the announcement could influence the dynamics of the conflict. The full extent of its repercussions remains unclear.

In an almost bipartisan statement, the US strongly condemned the ICC’s decision, diverging from the more cautious responses of its allies. President Joe Biden called the arrest warrants “outrageous,” saying: “Let me be clear once again: Whatever the ICC might imply, there is no equivalence — none — between Israel and Hamas. We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security.” Mike Waltz, the incoming national security adviser, dismissed the ICC’s credibility, claiming its allegations had been refuted by the US government. “You can expect a strong response to the antisemitic bias of the ICC and UN come January,” he said.

Donald Trump meets with Arab American leaders at The Great Commoner cafe on Nov. 1, 2024 in Dearborn, Michigan, as he campaigned for the community's support for his presidential bid. (Getty Images via AFP)

Fawaz, while analyzing Trump’s potential influence in the region, acknowledged the former president’s unwavering support for Israel and his close alliance with Netanyahu, describing it as a possible obstacle. However, he highlighted Trump’s personal connections to the Arab community, noting that his daughter Tiffany is married to Lebanese American Michael Boulos, whose father, Massad Boulos, was a vocal supporter of Trump and the Arab Americans for Trump group.

However, Fawaz acknowledged the significant challenges posed by Trump’s cabinet selections. Many of his appointees are staunchly pro-Israel and have made controversial statements about Palestinians. These include the former governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee, nominated as US ambassador to Israel, who once claimed that “there is no such thing as Palestinians” and opposes the two-state solution. Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, expected to serve as secretary of state, has openly supported Israel’s military actions in Gaza, opposing calls for a ceasefire while advocating for additional funding and weaponry for Israel.

“The secretary of defense also has an extreme Zionist position. I think, even with all of that, we must continue to negotiate, continue the dialogue, to interact with the administration,” Fawaz said, referencing the nomination of Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News host and Iraq war veteran. “Hopefully there will (be) some people who are fair, who are good for the US government, they are good for the US people, good for the taxpayers and they see some fair issue,” he said. “They will not allow this kind of genocide that has taken place in Lebanon or in Gaza.”

Since the outbreak of the conflict in October 2023, the US administration has consistently voiced its support for Israel, which has drawn widespread criticism for what many experts describe as excessive use of force. In 14 months of conflict, about 44,000 people, including one-third of them children, have been killed in Gaza, while more than 3,500 deaths have been reported in Lebanon, many caused by US-made and supplied weapons.

Speaking on a separate segment of the show, attorney Ahmad Chami claimed that there has been a surge in anti-Arab racism and Islamophobia, which he said is not an aberration, but a continuation of systemic hostility toward Arab and Muslim Americans, exacerbated by Israel’s wars in Gaza and Lebanon. Chami criticized the inconsistent responses of US politicians, claiming they are quick to act against discrimination targeting other groups but hesitant to address anti-Arab racism or Islamophobia for fear of being labeled antisemitic.

“We are too easily the villains for our government and our media,” Chami said, citing the Arizona State University lawsuit as an example of the suppression of pro-Palestinian protests. “We’re so worried about the perception that this anti-Israeli policy protest is going to have on the poor innocent Jewish Americans that we are willing to suppress free speech, and pass bills, and attempt to pass bills labeling Students for Justice in Palestine as ‘terrorist sympathizers’.”

Chami described this as a double standard that minimizes public attention to anti-Arab racism while amplifying narratives that favor Israel, and pointed to a rise in hate crimes against Arabs and Muslims in the US — an increase of 71 percent in the first half of 2024, according to Chami — that has been “vastly underreported.”

Citing the recent attack by a 64-year-old Jewish woman in Downers Grove, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois, who verbally and physically assaulted a Muslim man and his pregnant wife at a coffee shop because the husband was wearing a sweatshirt with the word “Palestine” on it, Chami argued that this atmosphere allows people to “feel protected and emboldened” to attack Arabs or Muslims with impunity.

“That is a systematic problem,” he said. “That is a problem with our government allowing these people to feel like, I can attack an Arab, I can attack someone I perceive as Muslim or even pro-Palestinian, and I’ll be fine.”

Chami linked this environment to political factors portraying Arabs and Muslims as terrorists, which he said devalues Arab and Muslim lives while elevating those of pro-Israel or Jewish individuals. Chami also revealed that documents from his lawsuit against Arizona State University suggest the Anti-Defamation League lobbied university officials to treat anti-Israel protests as acts of violence.

“They (ADL) call themselves a civil rights organization, but they’re very clearly, in my view, an organization that is a political organization that is intended to protect not only Jewish Americans, but more importantly, Israeli interests,” Chami said, accusing the group of pressuring institutions like the ASU to silence pro-Palestinian voices.

Fawaz echoed the need for change at both local and international levels, pointing to Trump’s administration as a potential avenue for such transformation. “Change is always possible,” he said, citing Trump’s frequent cabinet reshuffles during his first term. While Trump has yet to appoint Arab Americans to key roles, Fawaz said that there are many qualified individuals in the community. “There are some capable Arab Americans in politics, all over the US,” he said. “And he can select someone who is fair, who can be our voice.”

He also highlighted efforts by Massad Boulos to act as a liaison between Trump and the Lebanese community. “We hope Boulos succeeds and secures a position where he can make a difference,” he said.

Although Biden initiated outreach to Arab Americans during his first year in office and appointed two dozen Arab Americans to White House and State Department roles, Fawaz criticized the administration for curbing their influence by barring them from speaking publicly on Middle East issues. He expressed hope that this would change under Trump’s leadership, though, in this increasingly intricate political landscape, much remains to be seen.
 

 


Jordan slashes EV tax rates to boost green transition

Updated 23 November 2024
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Jordan slashes EV tax rates to boost green transition

  • Fully EVs with customs value between JD10,000 and JD25,000 will be taxed at 20 percent, down from 40 percent

AMMAN: The Jordanian government on Saturday announced a reduction in special taxes on electric vehicles (EVs) until the end of 2024, in a move aimed at easing financial burdens on citizens and importers while encouraging the adoption of eco-friendly transportation.

Under the decision, fully electric vehicles with a customs value between JD10,000 ($14,100) and JD25,000 will be taxed at 20 percent, down from 40 percent, Jordan News Agency reported.

For plug-in hybrid EVs exceeding JD25,000, the tax rate will be reduced to 27.5 percent, compared to the previous 55 percent.

The policy, effective immediately and set to expire on Dec. 31, also includes provisions for retroactive refunds.

Owners who cleared EVs under the previous tax regime before this announcement will be eligible for reimbursement of the difference.

The decision, made during a Saturday cabinet session led by Prime Minister Jaafar Hassan, followed a two-month review involving experts and stakeholders.

It addresses concerns about EVs already stored in bonded warehouses or free zones before the decision was implemented.

“The government sought logical solutions to ease the burden on citizens and importers while enabling them to complete clearance procedures,” officials stated.

To further promote accessibility, the government confirmed that EVs with a customs value below JD10,000 remain fully exempt from taxes, aiming to make electric mobility affordable for middle-income families.

The reduction underscores Jordan's commitment to sustainable transport while balancing economic pressures on its citizens. However, the government emphasized that the exemption was non-renewable, marking the end of tax relief on Dec. 31.


Aid only ‘delaying deaths’ as Sudan counts down to famine: agency chief

Updated 23 November 2024
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Aid only ‘delaying deaths’ as Sudan counts down to famine: agency chief

  • “We have the biggest humanitarian crisis on the planet in Sudan, the biggest hunger crisis, the biggest displacement crisis,” Norwegian Refugee Council chief Jan Egeland said
  • “I met women barely surviving, eating one meal of boiled leaves a day“

CAIRO: War-torn Sudan is on a “countdown to famine” ignored by world leaders while humanitarian aid is only “delaying deaths,” Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) chief Jan Egeland told AFP on Saturday.
“We have the biggest humanitarian crisis on the planet in Sudan, the biggest hunger crisis, the biggest displacement crisis... and the world is giving it a shrug,” he said in an interview from neighboring Chad after a visit to Sudan this week.
Since April 2023, war has pitted Sudan’s regular army against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), killing tens of thousands of people and uprooting more than 11 million.
The United Nations says that nearly 26 million people inside Sudan are suffering acute hunger.
“I met women barely surviving, eating one meal of boiled leaves a day,” Egeland said.
One of few organizations to have maintained operations in Sudan, the NRC says some 1.5 million people are “on the edge of famine.”
“The violence is tearing apart communities much faster than we can come in with aid,” Egeland said.
“As we struggle to keep up, our current resources are merely delaying deaths instead of preventing them.”
Two decades ago, allegations of genocide brought world attention to Sudan’s vast western region of Darfur where the then government in Khartoum unleashed Arab tribal militias against non-Arab minorities suspected of supporting a rebellion.
“It is beyond belief that we have a fraction of the interest now for Sudan’s crisis than we had 20 years ago for Darfur, when the crisis was actually much smaller,” Egeland said.
He said Israel’s wars in Gaza and Lebanon and Russia’s war with Ukraine had been allowed to overshadow the conflict in Sudan.
But he said he detected a shift in the “international mood,” away from the kind of celebrity-driven campaigns that brought Hollywood star George Clooney to Darfur in the 2000s.
“More nationalistic tendencies, more inward-looking,” he said of Western governments led by politicians compelled to “put my nation first, me first, not humanity first.”
“It will come to haunt” these “short-sighted” leaders, when those they failed to assist in their homeland join the tide of refugees and migrants headed north.
In Chad, he said he had met young people who just barely survived ethnic cleansing in Darfur, and had made the decision to brave the perilous crossing of the Mediterranean to Europe even though they had friends who had drowned.
Inside Sudan, one in every five people has been displaced by this or previous conflicts, according to UN figures.
Most of those displaced are in Darfur, where Egeland says the situation is “horrific and getting worse.”
The North Darfur state capital of El-Fasher has been under siege by the RSF for months, nearly disabling all aid operations in the region and pushing the nearby Zamzam displacement camp into famine.
But even areas spared the devastation of war “are bursting at the seams,” Egeland said. Across the army-controlled east, camps, schools and other public buildings are filled with displaced people left to fend for themselves.
On the outskirts of Port Sudan — the Red Sea city where the army-backed government and UN agencies are now based — Egeland said he visited a school sheltering more than 3,700 displaced people where mothers were unable to feed their children.
“How come next door to the easiest accessible part of Sudan... there is starvation?” he asked.
According to the UN, both sides are using hunger as a weapon of war. Authorities routinely impede access with bureaucratic hurdles, while paramilitary fighters have threatened and attacked aid workers.
“The ongoing starvation is a man-made tragedy... Each delay, every blocked truck, every authorization delayed is a death sentence for families who can’t wait another day for food, water and shelter,” Egeland said.
But in spite of all the obstacles, “it is possible to reach all corners of Sudan,” he said, calling on donors to increase funding and aid organizations to have more “guts.”
“Parties to conflicts specialize in scaring us and we specialize in being scared,” he said, urging UN and other agencies to “be tougher and demand access.”


Hamas armed wing says Israeli woman hostage killed in north Gaza

Updated 23 November 2024
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Hamas armed wing says Israeli woman hostage killed in north Gaza

  • Abu Obeida’s statement did not further identify the hostage or say how or when she was killed
  • The woman had been held with a second female hostage whose life was in danger

GAZA: Hamas’s armed wing said Saturday an Israeli woman taken hostage during the October 2023 attack had been killed in a combat zone in northern Gaza and the Israeli military said it was investigating.
Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Obeida said contact had been restored with the woman’s captors after a break of several weeks and it was established that the hostage had been killed in an area of north Gaza where the Israeli army has been operating.
Abu Obeida’s statement did not further identify the hostage or say how or when she was killed.
The Israeli army told AFP it was looking into the claim.
Abu Obeida said that the woman had been held with a second female hostage whose life was in danger.
During last year’s Hamas attack which triggered the Gaza war, militants took 251 hostages, of whom 97 are still held in Gaza, including 34 the army says are dead.
Ten female hostages, including five soldiers, were believed to remain alive in custody before Abu Obeida’s statement, according to an AFP tally.
During a one-week truce in November last year, 105 hostages were freed, including 80 Israelis who were exchanged for 240 Palestinian prisoners.
The Israeli government has come under immense public pressure to agree a new deal to bring the remaining hostages home while they are still alive.
The Hostage and Missing Families Forum campaign group did not wish to comment on Saturday’s claim.
“Nothing is known other than what Hamas is saying. Our only reliable source is the Israeli army,” the group told AFP.
Hamas’s attack on October 7 last year resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
Israel’s retaliatory campaign has killed 44,176 people in Gaza, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry that the United Nations considers reliable.