In Memoriam "Rachel Corrie" 1978 - 2003

In commemoration and remembrance of the American peace activist, the martyr Rachel Corrie, who sacrificed her life defending the just cause of Palestine and came from miles away to share her brothers and sisters in humanity their struggle for freedom and peace, the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme has decided to call its Women's Empowerment Project in Rafah "Rachel Corrie Center for Women Empowerment". This decision came after the awful, and deliberate assassination of Rachel while trying to stop an Israeli bulldozer from demolishing a home of a Palestinian civilian in Rafah.

Rachel was an active member of the "International Solidarity Movement", who came to Palestine in response to the ongoing violations of Palestinian human rights by the Israeli occupation. They commenced their humanitarian mission in the Palestinian Territories where they started to send activists to provide support and solidarity for the Palestinian victims of Israeli aggression. They try to provide moral support through peaceful and non-violent means, and they work as protective human shields to defend the Palestinians and their properties from all forms of Israeli violence.

The movement's activities come as an ongoing campaign, which is usually, coordinated with the Palestinian civil society organizations as part of their role to fight the occupation with peaceful, and non-violent means.

The activists display the magnitude and acceleration of violence against the Palestinian people through documentation and writing to different international magazines and newspapers about what they witness and observe in the field to ensure a full world's condemnation of the Israelis practices.

They sometimes carry out small fundraising activities and collect money to provide humanitarian aids including medication and food for the needy families to get their basic life requirements.

The presence of internationals, working for humanitarian international agencies and who act as civilian observers is crucial for the safety and well being of Palestinians. They play an eyewitness role and connection between the struggle for justice in Palestine, and the international struggle for freedom, development, and peace worldwide.