Rachel Corrie



Rachel Corrie (1979-2003) was the "23-year-old American peace activist and student who was run over and killed by [an Israeli] Caterpillar D9 [armored] bulldozer on March 16, 2003." She stood in front of the bulldozer trying to protect the houses of her Palestinian friends. A lawsuit has been "filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western Federal District of Washington, [alleging] that Caterpillar, Inc. violated international and state law by providing specially designed bulldozers to Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) that it knew would be used to demolish homes and endanger civilians." Furthermore, Caterpillar's actions even violate its own stated "corporate responsibility charter".

"Plaintiffs Craig and Cindy Corrie are represented by lawyers from the Center for Constitutional Rights, the Ronald J. Peterson Law Clinic at Seattle University Law School, and the Public Interest Law Group PLLC in Seattle, Washington." 

Background
Born in Olympia, Washington, in 1979, Corrie was a keen poet and painter and kept a diary of her observations on the outside world.

She became interested in the Middle East after taking a course in the politics of the area while at Evergreen State College, a liberal arts college also in Olympia.

In January 2003, she travelled to Rafah, a border town on the Gaza Strip, where she joined other members of the International Solidarity Movement, a Palestinian-led movement which, according to its website, is committed to ‘resisting the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land using non-violent, direct-action methods and principles’. 

‘My Name is Rachel Corrie’
‘My Name is Rachel Corrie’, is a play that tells the story of Corrie (acted by Megan Dodd). The play is directed by British actor Alan Rickman. Rickman also co-edited the production with Katharine Viner, editor of the Guardian Weekend magazine.

Viner was asked to edit Corrie’s writings — diaries, notebooks, poems, emails and letters — by the Royal Court Theatre and, having heard about her story, wanted to get involved. 

SourceWatch Resources

 * peace movement