The Rachel Corrie Myth

March 12, 2012 By 62 Comments

March 16 is the anniversary of Rachel Corrie’s death. She is the American college student killed by an Israeli bulldozer in Gaza while attempting to block a house demolition. Israeli authorities claim that the driverwas unable to see Corrie, given the restricted vision from his perch, and that she acted recklessly by inserting herself into the path of the bulldozer. But as always happens in the Middle East, lies trumped truth.

The Corrie myth has been one of the most powerful tools in the anti-Israel propaganda campaign. She inspired literary works, boycotts and political memorials all around the world. Her story constituted bad press for Israel that was even worse than the fabricated martyrdom of Mohammed al-Dura.

A few days ago, a lawsuit seeking to overturn Olympia food co-op’s boycott of Israeli goods was dismissed in Washington’s Superior Court. Olympia is the hometown of Rachel Corrie. After her death, Caterpillar has been targeted by a series of initiatives and even the Church of England divested from the company. Fatah mourned Corrie as “the martyr of freedom and peace,” Hamas adopted her face as a mascot and Iran named a street after her.

The mythology presented Corrie as “a peaceful protester,” “a young woman who had dedicated her life to the non-violent defense of others” and as “a new Joan of Arc.” One Gazaflotilla ship was named after her. She was not just an unarmed, idealistic Western girl.

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About

Giulio Meotti, a journalist with Il Foglio, is the author of the book, "A New Shoah: The Untold Story of Israel's Victims of Terrorism."

  • Nakba1948

    Rachel Corrie is a heroine of the first order, a nonviolent martyr for an oppressed people. She gave her in life in the name of Justice, having been brutally and deliberately (yes, deliberately) murdered by IOF stormtroopers. It's a disgrace that you Zionist pigs besmirch this name of this innocent young woman; it's this same vicious, inhuman mentality that allows you to slaughter innocent Palestinian women and children, randomly demolish homes, take land that doesn't belong to you, and imprison nonviolent activists indefinitely without formal charges. You may have crushed Ms. Corrie's body, but her spirit lives to haunt you…her story, a testament to Zionist cruelty and brutality. I will look forward to the day when there is a statue erected of her in a restored, united Jerusalem (Quds), when "Israel" has been relegated to the ash bin of history. حرروا فلسطين

    • Bartimaeus

      The cruelty and brutality is unsurpassed when it comes to Islam. Rachel Corrie was sadly another useful idiot. One could only wish she would have been familiar with the long history of Islamic imperialism and subjection of the indigenous peoples of the Middle East and North Africa and beyond. But, it is too late for her. Wake up Nakba1948 it is still not to late for you.

    • Ken

      Keep spewing your propaganda!! Your statement just show your ontolerance and racism prevalent in Muslim society to other faiths and races. One day your hate and intolerance will implode you!!

    • A Conservative

      The real murderers of women and children are Hamas and Fatah. Please get it right. Israel offered the Palestinian Arabs a state but their leaders form Haj Amin al-Husseini to Ismail Haniyeh have rejected them, one after another in order to destroy Israel and replace her with an Islamic State which allows worse than apartheid treatment of Christians, Jews and women. Talk about child killers – the Palestinian Arab terrorists have been the ones who have engaged in cruel acts such as killing babies and blowing themselves up at innocent civilians. Look at how they treated Gilad Shalit compared to Israel's treatment of Hamas prisoners – Gilad Shalit was made to suffer like how his ancestors suffered in the death camps whereas Israel (the Zionists) ensure that Hamas murderers are well fed. Who is treating who cruelly you tell me? Even Arabs who converted to Christianity agree that the real victims are the "vile, cruel Zionists".

      If you think that life in Israel is bad, go to Saudi Arabia or the Gaza Strip and sing praises to Jesus Christ in public. Tell me about your experience after you do so.

      Regarding Rachel Corrie http://www.aish.com/jw/me/88182517.html and http://rachelcorriefacts.org/Accident.aspx

      Palestinian Arabs rather live in Israel than "'Palestine" http://www.meforum.org/702/the-hell-of-israel-is-…

    • tarleton

      She was an ignorant , vacuous young woman who recieved a ''darwin award '' for her political stupidity …being crushed by a bulldozer is NOT a fate that I would wish on her and I wish it hadn't happened …but she was politically speaking , AN IDIOT

    • KarshiKhanabad

      Corrie's death was an accident and an avoidable one at that. And Israel is here to stay.

    • Rifleman

      Her story is a testament to her stupidity, and her name could hardly be besmirched more than it had been by her already. She was a typical flagburning American leftist, flagging anti-American evil by aiding and comforting it against the USA and our allies.

    • UCSPanther

      Plenty more room to go around under the C-frame of a Cat D9L…

    • Zionista

      corrie who was a Jew hater just like her lefty parents got what she deserved – being flattened like a pancake. That is what you get when when you cozy up to Jew hating, pro- terror savages like the "international solidarity movement" – a group dedicated to the destruction of Israel and the deaths of Jewish civilians. The "palestinians" or as Newt pegged it, the INVENTED people must be so proud of honor killings, treatment of gays, persecution of Christians that goes on by your bloodthirsty 7th century neanderthal brethren. A STRONG Israel is here to stay – get used to it loser.

      • Banastre tarleton

        will you ever get what you deserve ?

        • 10th Crusader

          WILL YOU? You jihadi sympathizer, you'll get yours when they are through with your help,

      • Guest

        She herself was a Jew. May Israel be damned.

    • UCSPanther

      I'd build a monument all right-to the Cat D9L…

    • Kuffar

      Screw your patron saint of pancakes. The little bitch got what she was asking for. Israel made a huge mistake by not pushing the rest of the Pali bastards out of the west bank and Gaza completely. Israel should carpet bomb gaza and nuke Cairo Tehran and Damascus, take back the Sinai to the Nile and shove a Jerico down Mecca's throat for good measure

      • WilliamJamesWard

        You may be on to something that may be inevitable……………..William

      • Nakba1948

        You're sick. Anyone who gives you a "thumbs-up" is sick. Anyone who fails to address the content of your statement by deflecting attention to me is sick. Zionism is sick.

        • Ghostwriter

          Well,your people aren't exactly great exemplars of humanity. Your people have murdered Americans as well as Israelis. Your people could have had a state long ago,but that's not what your people want. You just want to kill Jews and Americans. Maybe if you stopped getting suicide bombers on buses,pizza parlors and places like that and also stopped shooting rockets into Israeli cities and villages,maybe there might be a hope for peace. As long as your desire to wipe Israel off the face of the earth and slaughter Jews exists,Nakba1948,I don't think there will be any peace in the Middle East at all.

      • Guest

        You are a sick f u * k.

    • Guest

      Firmly in the struggle with you, Nakba.

  • Canadian

    Why are you trying to desecrate the memory of a beautiful young idealistic woman who was brutally murdered by a remorseless genocidal maniac, voluntarily pretending to not see her while while she was peacefully expressing her admittedly "utopian" views.
    Does the author of this article really publicly endorse such gratuitous murders?
    PLEASE JUST STICK TO WRITING CORRESPONDANCES WITH CHARLES MANSON OR BARUCH GOLDSTEIN IN PRISON AND LEAVE JOURNALISM ALONE.

    • Nakba1948

      Well-said!

      • 10thCrusader

        Well defectated.

    • Ken

      How about you worry about Canada, and everything will be fine.

    • Larry

      She was a moronic leftard who committed suicide by bulldozer. Why don't you go over there and emulate her.

    • http://rau.3littlefoxes.com Lfox328

      I thought we'd seen the end of such anti-Semitic garbage when Hitler died.

    • Rifleman

      Yea, she looks real fetching, screaming her hatred of the USA and Israel while burning our flag. There's no accounting for taste, I guess.

      Her memory was never consecrated, she was a commie, and they're atheists. You obviously know nothing of bulldozers, and accidentally running over a dumbA isn't genocide. It’s interesting you mentioned manson, because your fakestinian buddies are known for their home invasion massacres and their fondness for stabbing people to death, like manson. Thanks for the reminder.

      • kentatwater

        Not to mention Manson's racism, and desire to spark a full on race war. You're right, the paleostinians are rather Manson-ish, at that!

    • Western Canadian

      Use some other handle, you ignorant, jew hating islamist pig, you are not fit to call yourself a canadian. Canadians paid with their blood fighting crap like you in the last world war. As a true canadian, I would be delighted to meet you and other jew hating cowards on the battle field. And it will probably happen, in the not too distant future.

    • mah29001

      Palestine Firster Nazis are whining about Rachel Corrie being "demonized" guess who praised her….David Duke.

      • Nakba1948

        By this logic, nobody should like dogs, because David Duke likes dogs. FAIL

        • http://callofthepatriot.blogspot.com HermitLion

          When dogs become a political party with an agenda, then your purposefully ridiculous analogy would be remotely relevant.

  • The Infidel

    You leftards wouldn't know the truth if it fell on you like a grad missile, idiots, willfully blind, diliberatly stupid fools. Do you think, if the islamojihadists manage to kill all the Jews, which is their stated goal, they will welcome a kafur/infidel like you into the fold. Fools, they will give you the choice, convert, humiliation and jizia, or death, and if you are not either a Christian or a Jew, they will simpy state you are a pagan, or a polythiest and kill you outright, probably by slowly cutting your throat. Fools, you side with genocidal maniacs who believe murdering and being killed is a sure fire way to 72 virgins. Fools, you do not deserve the freedoms your forefathers fought so hard to give you, even as you now throw it away to the feet of pigs of jihad.

    Should be good for at least 1 death threat and 4 vile adhoc attacks LOL. Leftards are stupid behond belief.

    • Rifleman

      Commies consider muslims the minor threat to world socialism, to be ruthlessly squashed along with the other members of their common front once they get the USA out of the way.

  • kentatwater

    The near-simultaneous dribble from the pro-islamists above is part and parcel of the relentless disinformation campaign that they wage every waking hour.

    If Corrie was a victim of anything beyond her own foolishness, it was a political POV which has a term for those such as her: useful idiot. It attracts the naive and emotionally immature.

    • maturin20

      I'm reminded of Kent State, for some reason.

      • kentatwater

        Why's that?

  • tagalog

    Is the street that bears Rachel Corrie's name anywhere near the street named for Rigoberta Menchu?

  • maturin20

    1) You attribute "truth" to Israel's stance on Corrie's death and "lies" to the eyewitness and photographic evidence.
    2) You post videos to YouTube in which you always take Israel's side in all matters.
    3) If Caterpillar manufactures a bulldozer without forward line of sight, Caterpillar would be liable for damages.
    4) If a Jew got run over with a bulldozer in the process of demolishing a Jewish home, you would support the Jew.

    In other words, you are simply a Jewish Chauvinist, and most obnoxious.

    • kentatwater

      Yes, telling the truth must appear to be chauvinism to an anti-Semite, when it favors Israel.

    • stern

      Only trouble is, the "eyewitness" evidence changed within days of the event. The original statements made even by Corrie's defenders, completely exonerated the IDF.

      And the real photographic evidence, as provided by the IDF, shows the truth: Corrie was attempting to defend an arms smuggling tunnel, which is not exactly a humanitarian action. The bulldozer operator could not see her – and not because of anything Caterpillar designed, but because it is necessary for the IDF to protect its bulldozers with armour. So once again, you are blaming Israel for taking steps to defend herself and her citizens. And of course, that's what bugs you the most. Jews are just supposed to shut up and die, not fight back! And heaven forbid they reinforce their equipment with armour to protect against your beloved Palestinians.

      • maturin20

        If Israel modified bulldozers in a way as to make them operate blindly, then Israel is guilty of murderous negligence and safety tampering. Sadly, Israel thinks it can murder Americans with impunity. For this very good reason, I do not support Israel.

        • Western Canadian

          Again, you don’t answer, you just evade. Even for a jew hating troll, you are pathetic.

          • maturin20

            Why single me out for evasion? I clearly don't evade as much as North Koreans or Saudi Arabians. Why unfairly point out my evasions and not also the evasions of Muhammad? You are very anti-semitic.

    • ahadhaamoratsim

      "you are simply a Jewish Chauvinist, and most obnoxious"
      Mr. Meotti is not a Jewish anything; he is a non-Jew who has decided to speak for truth. It says a great deal about you, maturin20, that you think you are insulting him by calling him Jewish.

  • jacob

    If it isn't stupid enough to allow foreigners to pass judgement on domestic issues, what about interfering
    physically …????

    Because what happened with this "Heroine" was precisely the result of this asinine policy of the Israeli
    "leadership" ….

    I'm not going to elaborate on whether she was ran over accidentally or intentionally but to me, it is like
    in that joke of th guy asking another for a common friend and being told he died of natural death ran
    over by a train….
    He asks then why does he say he died of natural death ran over by a train and the answer was that
    anyone run over by a train it is only natural he dies….

    Now, what I would do being in the shoes of such "leaders" was to warn those foreign "activists" that
    any such interferences won't be tolerated and to get ready to be purporsely ran over by the tractors sent
    to carry out demolitions or the likes…..
    But then again, it is just wishful thinking, like this of allowing HAMAS to bomb Israel at will, as Israel has
    this IRON DOME which catches 90% of the missiles

  • dave

    If Israel was actually as bad as anti- Israelis say it is, then you would not go there and protest in the first place! It's like a feminist going to Iran, spewing vitriolic hate, burning a koran and demanding equal rights for women, no one would ever dare to do it, because they know they would be killed instantly! The truth is that there are loads of anti Israelis in Israel burning flags and protesting, precisely because it is safe to do so! Rachel Corrie played with fire and got killed, same as the reporter who got killed in Syria. If you put yourself in the middle of a war zone, eventually you might get hurt. Cause and effect.

  • UCSPanther

    Who cares? A protestor vs a Cat D9L or D10, there is no question who is going to win.

    Caterpillar rules. A fine American company that has been around since 1925, and best known for the various crawler tractors they have made since then. You haven't lived until you have driven a vintage Cat D8.

    And an IDF endorsement sure can't hurt either.

  • Chris Nichols

    So you didn't read the article.

    • maturin20

      I did read the article. He said the IDF claims this, therefore fact, the Palestinians claimed that, therefore lie.

  • maturin20

    You are clearly attacking me with a scorn reserved only for Jews who reject Israel. That is extremely antisemitic. And Canadian.

  • dirofbag

    "At Evergreen State University, her professors wore khakis and kaffiyehs at graduation ceremonies" Those professors are laughing behind the doors, even the 'useful idiots' are still useful after death!

  • findalis

    I understand that Corrie was available to every Muslim man for his enjoyment. That is the facts that are not told to young stupid women. They are being sent to die after they service every man who wants her. Whether she wants to or not.

  • mah29001

    Nazi Palestine purposely uses Pallywood tactics to decry how Rachel Corrie was a "martyr" even though they encouraged her to get in front of the bulldozer.

  • WilliamJamesWard

    How about a truer history than what has been foisted by the leftist supporters of the Palestinian murderers,
    something closer to the truth. Remember the left makes it's own truth at will and calls it good because
    it serves their interest, Bill Clinton invented each day as he went along, a prime example of what is, is.

    A different history of Rachel Corrie……….She was thrown under the bulldozer by her Palestinian handlers
    for the propaganda value of her death, knowing Israel would be blamed and they create another martyr,
    something they are known for and yes odiously so. If the left can create their own truth, anyone can and
    I think this history is closer to the truth………………………William

  • DaveedR

    Just to set the record straight, the home that Corrie died defending was bulldozed because it was 300 meters from the Egyptian border and Israel wanted a 400 meter buffer. There were no tunnels to that home. In fact, Israel allowed the Nasrallah family (whose home it was) to travel to Tel Aviv and obtain visas for a speaking tour of the US. If either Israel or the US thought that these folks were terrorists they wouldn't have allowed them to do this. As to Corrie herself, she was an unarmed American who was legally with a civilian family. French-Israeli filmmaker Simone Bitton did the investigation into Corrie's death that the Israelis were supposed to have done. She interviewed everyone associated with the event including the Israeli investigator who was barred from the scene by the Israeli military for a full 24 hours after the incident. He said that made it impossible to conduct a proper investigation. One also sees that Israel censored its own film of the event for minutes before and after the "accident". So don't blame Rachel Corrie. She was there just to bear witness to Israel's occupation. And because Israel's behavior violates international law and can't survive the light of day, Corrie had to pay with her life. But it's true that she's had a tremendous effect on American attitudes. Each day more and more Americans (especially Jews) grow critical of Israel's criminal behavior.

    • Arturo

      Muslim statistics? Daveed, the Muslim Gallup, has been colloecting them for the last 20 minutes at his mosque.

      • Oberon123

        Hey, Arturo, I think the sheriff of Sanford, Florida, needs you to run interference for him. Get back to your racist state and city.

  • Frankie

    The double agony of Rachel Corrie,a pathetic woman who had to suffer twice the heat of Hell-fires all because she was conned,deceived and lived in blindness,and was used as a Useful Idiots.Hamas and Muslims manipulate her deeds,and who doesn't know that Terrorists camps all across the world hailed her?The very reasons terrorists organizations catapulted her into greater limelight and plead her cause,it is to let non-terrorists and decent people to know how really stupid Rachel Corrie was,and she deserved the fate.

  • Delores Kaufman

    I always felt sorry for her parents only because they encouraged her to be a leftie Jew hater and then they lost their child in a misguilded( a definite understatement) political movement.

    • Guest

      Jew hater? She WAS a Jew. She just couldn't stand the filthy Zionists.

  • Bat Shlomo

    Who's got the Pancake syrup? Time to toss St. Pancake's memory under a bulldozer!

  • Robert

    She expressed pride, in writing, about being present at a Gaza rally in which the PFLP and other terrorist groups demonstrated. The look of hatred on her face, as she burned a mock U.S. flag, exemplifies the hatred this evil human being felt for her country, in general, and Jews, in particular. Rachel Corrie threw her own life away in an accident that occurred while she ignored warnings and went into a closed military zone, to support terrorists.

    • Oberon

      You are aware that she was Jewish too, right? She spit on Zionists. So do I. One man's terrorist is another's freedom fighter, and that is what I consider the PFLP to be. They're Marxists, not fundie Muslims. As it appears that you are a fundie Jew, I proclaim you to be a terrorist.