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Coalition for Peace with Justice
Letter to Raleigh News & Observer [to CPWJ Letters page] [ to CPWJ home page] March 24, 2003Crushing force As a Jewish citizen of Israel and former member of Israel Defense Forces (IDF), I feel sorrow and shame for the killing of Rachel Corrie ("Israeli bulldozer crushes protester," March 17). The IDF said the driver could not see Corrie, but it occurred after a 2-hour standoff, and Rachel was wearing an orange fluorescent jacket. This was not an isolated event. Over the past two years dozens of Palestinians have been killed by being crushed in or near homes that the Israeli army was demolishing with bulldozers. Suicide bombings are cited as justification for Israel's killing more than 2,000 Palestinians, mostly unarmed, during this period. But the first suicide bombing of the period occurred five months after the intifada began. During those months 338 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces and hundreds of homes demolished. What excuse was there then? Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, with stricter apartheid than South Africa's, forcing most Palestinians into hopeless poverty, is an abomination. Systematic killing of civilians constitutes a crime against humanity under the Nuremberg laws. The occupation can continue only because of U.S. subsidies. I believe American support, more than a third of the country's foreign aid, is given because Jewish lobbying groups have defeated many congressmen not supportive of Israel by raising huge sums for their opponents. I call on fellow Jews to stop supporting any Jewish organizations that support Israel. Stop until Israel ends the occupation. For Israel's sake, for Jewish honor's sake, for the memory of Rachel Corrie, just stop! Andrew Silver |
