(Olympia, WA USA – May 16, 2012) – The verdict in the civil lawsuit against the State of Israel for the killing of peace activist Rachel Corrie more than nine years ago will be announced August 28, 2012, at 9:00 a.m. at the Haifa District CourtMembers of the Corrie family, including Rachel’s parents, Craig and Cindy Corrie, and her sister, Sarah Corrie Simpson, plan to return to Israel in advance of the hearing and be present when the verdict is read.
Rachel Corrie, a 23-year-old American peace activist and human rights defender from Olympia, Washington, was crushed to death on March 16, 2003, by an Israeli military Caterpillar D9-R bulldozer while nonviolently protesting the demolition of Palestinian civilian homes in Rafah, Gaza.
The lawsuit, filed in 2005 by attorney Hussein abu Hussein on behalf of the Corrie family, charges the State of Israel with responsibility for Rachel’s killing and failure to conduct a full and credible investigation in the case.
The State of Israel claims the driver of the bulldozer did not see Rachel, that she should not have been in a war zone, and that a military police investigation found no wrongdoing.
Four eyewitnesses from the International Solidarity Movement testified that Rachel was visible to soldiers in the bulldozer as it approached. According to the U.S. State Department, a thorough, credible, and transparent investigation was never conducted.
Oral testimony in the case began March 10, 2010. Over the past two years, there have been 15 court hearings at which 23 witnesses testified, producing more than 2,000 pages of court transcripts.
WHAT: Hearing to announce the verdict in the Rachel Corrie wrongful death civil lawsuit against the State of Israel.
WHEN: Tuesday, August 28, 2012, at 9:00 a.m.
WHERE: Courtroom of Judge Oded Gershon, Haifa District Court, 12 Palyam Street, Haifa, Israel.
PRESS CONTACT:
Email: press@rachelcorriefoundation.org
Phone: Stacy Sullivan (in Israel) at +972-54-280-7572
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