ARABS-ISRAEL - March 16 - Israeli Bulldozer Kills American Woman.

An Army bulldozer crushes to death Rachel Corrie, a 23-year-old US citizen from Olympia, Washington, who has knelt in the dirt to discourage the armoured vehicle from destroying a Palestinian home in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Corrie was among eight US and British citizens who have been acting as human shields in an effort to stop the almost daily demolition of houses in Rafah. The Army called the incident a "very regrettable accident" and said an investigation was under way. An Army source said a preliminary inquiry found that the bulldozer driver had not been able to see Corrie. In a statement, the Army said soldiers "were dealing with a group of protesters who were acting very irresponsibly, putting everyone in danger - the Palestinians, themselves and our forces - by intentionally placing themselves in a combat zone". (The Army and Palestinian militants wage frequent gun battles in Rafah, but no major confrontations erupted on March 16).