It has become customary to mark the passing of Rachel Aliene Corrie a 23 year old American Peace activist from Olympia, Washington who was crushed to death by an Israeli military, caterpiller D 912 bulldozer in 2003, while undertaking non-violent direct action trying to protect the home of a Palestinian family from demolition in Rafah in the Gaza strip.
Justice has never been served for her, along with others killed under the Israeli occupation.
Today I reflect upon Rachel's brave stand in Gaza 13 years ago today and her courage to resist and all those who continue to live and struggle there. And all those passionate changemakers across the globe who each day act with conscience and work tirelessly to try and make a difference.
Currently in the city of Cardiff one of the UK's biggest arms fairs has come,to visit I applaud all those now trying to shut this awful event down. People saying no to business people profiteering from mass murder, displacement and torture. Exhibitors include BAE systems, the worlds 3rd largest arms producer whose weapons are currently being used in the Saudi attacks on Yemen.
When the rich make war it is the poor that die.
Remember that what is happening in Palestine is no inexplicable cycle of violence where each side is as bad as one another,. It is no more than an equal cycle of violence as seen in apartheid South Africa.
Being against it is not anti-Jewish anymore than being against a British governments military aggression marks you as as anti-British. Rachel Corrie understood these links and connections and would have known about an active Israeli peace movement, and of the hundreds of Israeli soldiers who refuse to serve in the occupied territories, many of whom have been jailed for their stance. Israel has invaded Palestinian land in breach of international law. Rachel died while attempting to prevent a demolition of a home, a common practice of the Israeli army's collective punishment that has left more than 12,000 Palestinians homeless since the beginning of the second uprising in September 2000. A practice that violates International Law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention.
So here's to the memory and bravery of Rachel Corrie a true American hero.
http://www.rachelcorrie.org
https://www.stopthearmsfair.org.uk
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