BostontoPalestine
Boston support group for the International Solidarity Movement

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People in the bostontopalestine community, and those who share in the struggle for peace and justice around the world, are joined in grief and sympathy for the family and community of Rachel Corrie. As you know, Rachel Corrie died Sunday, 3/16/03, defending a Palestinian home from an Israeli military bulldozer .We feel that we have lost one of our own. We need to honor this courageous woman, grieve for her, and see that justice is done. It is with regret that we call for action, with great urgency, in this time of mourning. In solidarity, peace, and great sadness, bostontopalestine group

MARCH 16, 2006 RACHEL CORRIE VIGIL & FILM SHOWING 7:00-9:00 PM

MARCH 18, 2006 PEACEFUL CAT PROTEST 11:00 AM-12:30 PM

Rachel Corrie Appeal (for US Supporters)

The US Congress is currently considering a bill calling on the US government to conduct a "full, fair and expeditious investigation into the death of Rachel Corrie" who was killed by an Israeli military bulldozer while trying to prevent the demolition of a Palestinian home in Rafah.

To read the text of the 111 resolution click here

To date the government has only called upon the Israelis to conduct an investigation, in spite of the Israeli military's record of using such "investigations" to white-wash similar incidents. While it is believed that pro-Israeli lobbyists are exerting extreme behind the scenes pressure on congressional representatives to vote against the bill, the following representatives are on record as supporting the bill:

Rep Baird, Brian - 3/25/2003 [WA-3]
Rep Abercrombie, Neil - 3/31/2003 [HI-1]
Rep Blumenauer, Earl - 4/3/2003 [OR-3]
Rep Capps, Lois - 3/25/2003 [CA-23]
Rep Dicks, Norman D. - 3/25/2003 [WA-6]
Rep Dingell, John D. - 4/3/2003 [MI-15]
Rep Dunn, Jennifer - 4/3/2003 [WA-8]
Rep Eshoo, Anna G. - 3/25/2003 [CA-14]
Rep Honda, Michael M. - 3/25/2003 [CA-15]
Rep Inslee, Jay - 3/25/2003 [WA-1]
Rep Larsen, Rick - 3/25/2003 [WA-2]
Rep Lee, Barbara - 4/3/2003 [CA-9]
Rep Lewis, John - 3/25/2003 [GA-5]
Rep McDermott, Jim - 3/25/2003 [WA-7]
Rep Rahall, Nick J., II - 3/31/2003 [WV-3]
Rep Smith, Adam - 3/25/2003 [WA-9]
Rep Wu, David - 3/25/2003 [OR-1]

If you wish to help pass this resolution you may do so by phoning, faxing or emailing your representative expressing your support for the bill.

To find out the phone or fax numbers of your representative go to http://www.congress.org or call the congressional switchboard at 202- 224-3121 or 800-839-5276.

Sample letter to urge your Congress Representative to support H.Con.Res. 111

To email your representative go to
http://www.cflweb.org/congress_merge_.ht .

Phone calls are considered the most effective way of lobbying.
Emails are considered to be the least effective way.

Charles Lenchner, President of Jews for Peace in Palestine and Israel, stated that
"according to an Israeli peace group, the Israeli military judge advocate general has concluded that no charges will be brought against the bulldozer driver.
Therefore it is even more imperative that the United States conducts a full investigation into Rachel's death."

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Text of the Rachel Corrie Resolution

H. CON. RES. 111

Expressing sympathy for the loss of Rachel Corrie in the Palestinian village of Rafah in the Gaza Strip on March 16,2003.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 25, 2003

Mr. BAIRD (for himself, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. INSLEE, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mr. DICKS, Mr. LARSEN ofWashington, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. WU, Mr. HONDA, Ms. ESHOO, and Mrs. CAPPS) submitted the followingconcurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing sympathy for the loss of Rachel Corrie in the Palestinian village of Rafah in the Gaza Strip on March 16, 2003. Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That Congress--(1) expresses itssympathy to Craig and Cynthia Corrie and to their extended families, friends, and co-workers for the loss of Rachel Corrie in the Palestinian village of Rafah in the Gaza Strip on March 16, 2003; (2) calls on the United States Government to undertake a full, fair, and expeditious investigation into the death of Rachel Corrie; and (3) encourages the Government of the United States and the Government of Israel to work together to determineall the circumstances that led to this incident and to ensure that an incident of this kind never occurs again.

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Sample Letter

Dear Representative __________,

I urge you to sign on as a cosponsor to H.Con.Res. 111, the Rachel Corrie Resolution. Rachel Corrie was a 23 year-old American college student who was killed by an Israel Defense Forces bulldozer while trying to prevent nonviolently the demolition of a Palestinian house in the Gaza Strip on March 16. Rep. Jim McDermott stated that Rachel was acting "in the tradition of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King." This resolution calls for a U.S. investigation which is necessary to determine the circumstances of her death and ensure that this type of incident does not happen again.

I look forward to receiving a reply from you and will continue to follow developments regarding this important resolution.

Sincerely,
(Add personal contact information here)

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The Rachel Corrie Resolution was introduced in the House of Representatives on March 25 by Brian Baird (WA-3) and currently has 10 cosponsors. The resolution expresses sympathy to the Corrie family for their loss, calls for a U.S. investigation into her death, and urges the United States and Israel to work together to ensure that this never happens again.

Charles Lenchner, President of Jews for Peace in Palestine and Israel, stated that "according to an Israeli peace group, the Israeli military judge advocate general has concluded that no charges will be brought against the bulldozer driver. Therefore it is even more imperative that the United States conducts a full investigation into Rachel's death."

According to Rachael Kamel, an activist with Jewish Mobilization for a Just Peace, "Rachel Corrie represented the finest tradition of nonviolent peacemaking. At this time, the international nonviolent peace forces provide the only protection available to the Palestinian civilian population. An investigation is needed not only to clarify the circumstances of her death but also to help Congress and the American public understand more fully the violence carried out every day in the Occupied Territories in our name and with our tax dollars."

Mitchell Plitnick, Co-Director of A Jewish Voice for Peace adds, "Rachel Corrie was an American civilian killed during a foreign military operation. Eyewitnesses have expressed doubt that the incident was accidental. Under such circumstances, the need for an impartial investigation to establish the truth of the matter is undeniable."

"The IDF is treating this death as an accident, in spite of eyewitness reports and photographs that directly contradict the military account. Given the historic brutality of the IDF's actions in the Occupied Territories, a more objective investigation must be carried out if justice is to be served. " said Sam Miller/Eisenstein, a member of Jews Against the Occupation.

Hilda Silverman, of Visions of Peace with Justice in Israel/Palestine and Jewish Women for Justice in Israel/Palestine, concluded, "Rachel Corrie was a hero to many of us, as well as to the Israeli peace and justice activists with whom we work and to the Palestinians for whom she risked and lost her life. Our hearts go out to her family, her friends, and her colleagues in the International Solidarity Movement; and we join the call for an impartial U.S. investigation of the circumstances of her brutal death."

Participating organizations include Jewish Mobilization for a Just Peace and Bubbes and Zaydes for Middle East Peace (Philadelphia), A Jewish Voice for Peace (San Francisco), Jewish Voices Against the Occupation (Seattle), Jews Against the Occupation (New York), Jews for Peace in Palestine and Israel (Washington, DC), Not in My Name (Chicago), the Tikkun Community, and Visions of Peace with Justice in Israel/Palestine and Jewish Women for Justice in Israel/Palestine (Boston).