Controversy over play about Rachel Corrie
represents suppression of Israel/Palestine debate

BY MARV DAVIDOV

BY MARV DAVIDOV

The New York Times (June 22) had a long piece about the play based on Rachel Corrie. Stage and screen actor Alan Rickman directed the English cast. The play is based on Rachel Corrie’s e-mails to parents and friends from occupied Palestine where Rachel joined the international solidarity organization.

When Israel suspects it has located the home of a terrorist, Israeli soldiers bulldoze the house, meting out collective punishment.

Corrie, a student from Evergreen College, sat in front of an Israeli bulldozer wearing a bright orange covering to make herself highly visible. The driver ran over Corrie, killing her. Her friends said he (the driver) definitely saw her.

She has been memorialized worldwide for her courage and the righteousness of her cause. I met her wonderful parents at Evergreen and saw what a fine caring family she came from.

Someone contracted for the play to come to New York. Because of pressure it was canceled. Now Oscar Hammerstein’s daughter will produce it, and the London cast is flying over.

Parts of the organized Jewish community do not want theater-goers exposed to truths about the Israeli government’s barbarity—it elates me that Ms. Hammerstein will produce the play.

I was at a Seder (Passover ceremony) recently in St. Paul with four Jews and a minister. Near the end of a communal reading from the Seder book I asked if I might say something.

I said, “Among the people of Israel who believe in this book are the few high school students who refuse to join the Israeli Army and go right to prison; the women in black who protest the occupation; and the highly decorated combat vets who refuse to serve in the occupied territory.

“In response to small group terrorism provoked by the occupation, Israel uses state terrorism, torture, blowing up of homes, breaking the bones of children throwing stones and with U.S. aid kills 3 to 1. And they must be stopped.”
The Jewish man opposite me said, “I don’t want to hear that.”
I said, “Why not?”

“Everyone has their point of view, I just don’t want to hear that,” he said.
I shut up for a few minutes. The conversation turned to a TV film on 9/11. I said, “That was a great tragedy. I have a friend whose sister died in the Pentagon. She administered theater for the troops worldwide, and was a mother of two small children. But Bush, in the bombing of Afghanistan killed more innocents than the number of people who died in the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.”
My host’s wife said, “I don’t want to hear that.”

I said, “If we can’t talk tonight about these subjects after reading the Seder Book, which is about resistance to injustice, forgiveness and nonviolence, when the hell can we?” I got up and left.

As an American Jewish revolutionary activist I stand with my Israeli sisters and brothers who resist the murderous policies of the Israeli government against the righteous Palestinian desire for a state of their own. If we could force an end to U.S. military and financial aid to Israel, there would soon be a Palestinian state, which would most likely end the violence. The truth is the truth. Let it flower.

Marv Davidov, a veteran of the Peace and Justice movement, will perform at Bryant Lake Bowl on July 5, 12 and 27 at 7 p.m