FACEBOOK
TWITTER
Military Colonel Says There are No Civilians in War Zones
Murdered American Citizen Exposes Illegal and In-Humane Military Policy
War Zones are Open Season to Kill Everyone and Anyone
Haifa, Israel – Several State witnesses testified in Haifa District Court on Monday, September 6, 2010, in the civil law suit filed by Rachel Corrie’s family against the State of Israel for her unlawful killing in Rafah, Gaza.
Murdered American Citizen Rachel Corrie
Rachel Corrie, an American human rights defender from Olympia, WA, was crushed to death on March 16, 2003, by a Caterpillar D9R military bulldozer. She had been nonviolently demonstrating against the demolitions of Palestinian homes.
One of the witnesses, known to the court as Yossi, was a Colonel in the Engineering Corps. He was responsible for writing operating manuals for military bulldozers and other equipment. He also conducted a simulation of what the bulldozer driver would have been able to see. In his testimony:
He repeatedly insisted that there are no civilians in a war zone. His assertion disregards the reality in the Palestinian Occupied Territories as well as international humanitarian law, which was created to protect civilians in armed conflict situations.
Yossi contradicted his own March 2003 testimony, given to military investigators, that the armored personnel carrier (APC) at the incident was intended to protect both soldiers and civilians. Today, he said the APC was there only for the safety of the drivers.
In his affidavit, Yossi wrote that he conducted a reenactment of the incident. However, he testified today that he did not reenact the scene, but rather filmed a bulldozer of the same model with a bulldozer operator, and another soldier, to get a sense of what the operator at the incident might have seen. He also said he did not view the military’s surveillance video of the incident in creating his simulation.
Yossi claimed that the manual on operating instructions for mechanical engineering equipment in low intensity conflict did not apply to real conflict situations, but rather only in training and administrative activities.
Yossi stated that the bulldozer driver and commander have the exact same field of vision and that the commander sat at the same level as the driver, contradicting the government’s expert witness, who stated that the commander had a better field of vision because he sat higher.
Another witness for the state, Major Yoram Manchori, testified as an expert witness on the bulldozer’s field of vision. He was responsible for purchasing heavy engineering equipment and readying it for military use. In May 2010, he created an animated simulation of what the bulldozer driver and commander’s vision might have been.
Manchori insisted he used in the simulation a bulldozer identical to the one that killed Rachel. However, the bulldozer he used had multiple bars on its windows, whereas the bulldozer that struck Rachel had no bars. Upon being informed of this discrepancy, he claimed that the bars did not impact visibility.
He conducted his simulation on terrain that was very different than the terrain at the scene.
Rachel Corrie Draped in US Flag after her Murder in the Holy Land by Israeli Army Bulldozer
He determined the simulated location of the bulldozers based on eyewitness recollections given over 7 years after the incident. He did not cross-check them with eyewitness accounts from the time of the killing, nor did he view the military surveillance video of the incident.
Manchori testified that the price of a Caterpillar D9R bulldozer is currently $700,000 and the cost of arming it is an additional $200,000 – $250,000, figures not previously disclosed. In light of this, it is now known that the cost of mounting a camera, which is often cited as being prohibitively expensive, would be less than 10% of the price of the bulldozer itself.
Manchori testified that after Rachel’s death the Israeli military installed cameras on one bulldozer but due to the high cost, limited increase in field vision and other problems, the installation was discontinued.
Manchori testified that prior to Corrie’s killing, the Israeli military tested the D9R bulldozer field of vision and that he personally had sent three charts of the results to the military investigators in March 2003. In court today, the Corries’ lawyer requested to obtain a copy of this report, stating that he needed it in order to analyze the bulldozer visibility claims made in the military police investigation of Rachel’s killing. The State argued that the report was classified and should not be allowed into evidence, although the Israeli Supreme Court previously ruled that this report was relevant to the case. Judge Gershon upheld the State’s argument.
Regarding the multiple references that there are no civilians in war zones, Cindy Corrie, Rachel’s mother said, “This was startling to our family, and to others in the courtroom. Rafah is a densely populated town. In fact, Rachel was killed defending the home of two Palestinian families-a pharmacist, an accountant, their wives and small children. It was extremely troubling for their existence to be categorically denied.”
Court today was attended by representatives from the US Embassy, Human Rights Watch and Adalah, a legal and human rights organization.
The trial is slated to resume in October, when the bulldozer driver, the bulldozer commander, and the head of the military police team that investigated Rachel’s killing are expected to testify.
Related Posts:
Short URL: http://www.veteranstoday.com/?p=47974
Posted by Johnny Punish on Sep 6 2010, With 0 Reads, Filed under Israel, Palestine, World. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
COMMENTS
To post, we ask that you login using Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, or Hotmail in the box below.Don't have a social network account? Register and Login direct with VT and post.
Before you post, read our Comment Policy - Feedback
Thanks for this post, Johnny. I’m writing about the trial for firedoglake
DO they really expect to get anything resembling truth or justice from a corrupt psychopathic state-serving court? That’s akin to putting Charlie Manson on the bench and expecting him to preside honestly over murder trials.
“Classified”, “National Security”, the smokescreens of wanton criminals.
Everyone now,then…is a Soldier in this “World Wide War Zone” so stand up and fight for your rights or lay down and die at the hands of these “War Criminals” and Just Criminals Period.
Paul I hope you aren’t planning to situate yourself atop any university clock towers.
What goes around comes around. At some point in a nations history it has to be responsible for it’s past. At least this is my opinion. As for the United States at some points in it’s history attempted to do this when it supported, and tried to resolve major complaints in the 60′s civil rights movement. However Native Americans still suffer on reservations.
Israel, and the United States in regard to Palestinian rights have a long way to go to resolve the damage they inflicted on innocent people. You cannot bomb, bull doze over, and shoot unarmed human beings expecting to resolve problems.
Rachel Corrie was an American Citizen, NOT AN ALIEN! We need a monument to her standing up for human rights in Washington DC sponsored by The Caterpillar Bulldozer company. Instead most American’s don’t even know her name. Ain’t that a shame!
As Shakespeare wrote: “The evil men do lives after them, the good is oft interred with their bones”. So very true.
The Colonel is absolutely right, there are no civilians in a war zone. The United States Government practiced this for hundreds of years, from the genocide of the American Indian to the indiscrimate bombing over Germany and Japsn during the second world war. From WW2 forward, civilians were protected as much as possible. The deep south was starved and civilians were killed at will during the civil war. There was no wild game in many of the deep south states until the sixties except for rabbit, squrriel, and birds. So if you want a war, win at any cost, otherwise mind your own business.
David you are absolutely right if you want war, win at any cost. But then if you do this and somebody drives a plane load of civilians into a building do not call it terrorism. Call it war.
It goes both ways as the Israeli’s are learning this ever so slowly, and while their mentally handicapped American partners seem are not learning.
the deceased entered a CLOSED MILITARY ZONE on her own free will
and despite the numerous warnings she got beforehand
the equiping of the israeli army is nobodys business
young naive bored american girls can go to africa to save
millions of babies that die every year
israel owes nothing to those that break the law ans enter
closed zones
spoken like a true Israeli psychopath.
As months pass to years fewer and fewer Jews see the value in what this and other Israeli governments are doing on the west Bank and Gaza. Jews are beginning to open their eyes.
I agree with only one thing that spoke, not all Jews are bad and if you happen to have a “ clean “ that the Jews are right.
I agree not all are bad, but then dispense with the tribal mentality let those with good consciences join to bring down the Talmudic mafia that purports to represent world Jewry, when it’s actually its greatest enemy.
Israel has one only hope for a peaceful future, stop the genocide, end the supremacist dogma, extend full human rights to the Palestinians including the right to return to THEIR land (and send the settlers back to the lands of their TRUE native citizenship) and establish ONE state with equal voice for all.
When the majority of Israelis and Jews of good conscience around the world are prepared to do that, then we see the first fruits of peace. Until then, it’s just the obscene status quo of indoctrinated Zionist lies and their human death toll that we can expect.
tad pole support for israel has never been bigger then now
look at the new poll results they say it all
millions of jews and good christians come every year to israel
and do all they can to help and strengthen
look at the american and world christians they are the strongest backers
of israel
they like israel over the arabs as israel is open democracy
no women are being stonned to death in fact there is no capital
punishment in palestine the palis throw their brothers off roof tops
and torture them to death but due israel and world involvement the
palis in w bank are busy watching american shows buy american
jeans american computers computer games and they love the
american culture and turn in the terrorists themselves – no need
for israel to intervene the palis look frwd to the big
housing and education health projects taking place (of course
with other people monies ) you ll never see projects financed by rich
palis living overseas or the arabs its always the europ and american
taxpayer that have to pay the bill for these lazy people who dont
know what it means to work and support a family
Bret Frit you speak the Israeli line what else can be expected. There is support for Israel in some Christian religions, or should we say sect, but as a whole it is small. The rest just hope it all goes away preferring not to get involved, even in the debate. As always you have some people with no life rattling on about how Israel is a creation of God.
Sitting in Israel I am sure you have a steady stream of email television calls and even money from the states. But like a rabbi friend said “As soon as Israeli actions against American life property and welfare things will change”, it’s only a matter of time before Israeli policies against American values are understood by the general population.
Alone when walking down a dark street at night some people talk in a loud voice to scare away the boogymen. Bert whistle loud enough and Israel’s problems will go away. Israel has deep problems. A major one is it’s arrogance and total disregard for the rest of the world. Like Tad Pole said it will be catching up with you if you continue to disregard human lives, and human rights. Sooner or later the US will leave you.
Russia has learned one thing over the years. Keep it’s enemies close. Orthodox Russia has not forgotten the Russian revolution.
Tammy,
You are now doing “talking points”…propaganda. This is all total bull and you know it.
g
Her murder was deliberate. The crew wold certainly be protected as a matter of state policy. Rachel’s murder in one of the most heinous crime committed by Israel. She was like a flower who was crushed by people who behaved worst than animals.
Love Rachel and feel the pain of her death with her family, Rachel was ours.
She belongs to the whole world. May her soul rest in eternal peace and rest.