American college student Rachel Corrie was crushed to death by an Israeli bulldozer one year ago this week. To commemorate the young activist's life and death, her cousin, Elizabeth Corrie, spoke at Concordia University in Montreal.

MONTREAL - Elizabeth Corrie wants the image of her cousin Rachel standing alone against an Israeli bulldozer burned into everyone's mind.

"It is an image of defiance and courage in the face of injustice," the Atlanta-based teacher told 200 people at Concordia University on March 6, 2004. Corrie's speech and visit to Montreal was sponsored by Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights and the Jewish Alliance Against the Occupation.

Corrie was crushed to death on March 16 last year while protesting the demolition of Palestinian homes in the Gaza Strip. Although the 23-year-old American citizen wore a fluorescent orange jacket and carried a megaphone, the Israeli military insists the driver did not see her and declared Rachel's death an accident. The U.S. government is satisfied with the Israeli military's internal investigation and has not called for an independent inquiry.

Other international activists were targeted by the Israeli military in the weeks after Rachel's death. Fellow American and International Solidarity Movement member Brian Avery was disfigured when Israeli machine gunfire ripped through his face. British International Solidary Movement member Tom Hurndall was shot in the head a week later. He died in January after nearly a year in a coma.

Comparing the American response to these and other violent acts against foreign citizens in Israel is telling, Elizabeth said. While Rachel's death elicited little support from the Bush administration, the British government demanded charges against the soldier that shot Hurndall. Elizabeth also contrasts these responses to the strong action the U.S. government took within 24 hours after three Americans were killed in October by a Palestinian bomb.

"When Palestinians kill Americans, there's an immediate response, but when Israelis kill Americans, there's no response," she said.

Elizabeth and Rachel's parents continue to urge the U.S. Congress to pass a resolution calling for a U.S.-led investigation into Rachel's death. The family has gathered little government support. With only 52 sponsors, the resolution cannot move out of the International Relations Committee. Elizabeth said many legislators have privately expressed support for the resolution but say that public sponsorship would be political suicide.

"I don't understand it," she said. "Why not stand by Rachel and show that America really is about liberty and justice for all?"

Elizabeth spent vacations with Rachel at a family cabin in Minnesota. She and Rachel often shared private jokes. The last joke they shared is contained in Rachel's last email to her cousin, just before her death. "I never erased it in my Hotmail account," Elizabeth said. "I can't ever erase it.

"Rachel was eight years younger than me—the baby in the family. I was only beginning to know Rachel as a woman before she was crushed."

The speech was Elizabeth's first in Canada. She said she was warmed by Montreal's response and heartened that many members of the audience were members of the Jewish community who support justice for Rachel.

Ken Fernandez reminded the audience during the question and answer period that Canadians are not passive observers of the conflict in Israel.

"Arms manufacturers that sell weapons that kill Palestinians and people like Rachel are right here in Montreal," he said. "These companies recruit students directly from the engineering departments at Concordia and McGill. This imposes on us a duty to take responsibility."

Khaled Barakat, the coordinator of the Palestinian Community Centre in Vancouver, told Elizabeth that Palestinians will always hold Rachel in high regard.
"Rachel is a martyr," he said. "We will continue to name streets and our children after her. We all need to think of Rachel as a symbol of resistance and continue on her path of equality and justice."