Rachel was my friend. I'm still overwhelmed with sadness at her passing. I'm still too sad to be angry about what happened. I like to think that I'm not angry because it was anger that killed her. But I know that I'm not angry right now simply because my sadness is so great, that there is no room in my heart for anger right now. Whatever it was that killed her I know that for her there can be no justice. Whatever it was that killed her I know that the injustice we live with is that our friend Rachel is gone. Whatever it was that killed her I know that nothing can bring her back. All we can do is remember her.

In another part of Rafah, at about the same time Rachel was killed, a Palestinian was shot by an Israeli soldier. I don't know his name. I don't know who he was. I don't know who his friends were. His picture wasn't in the papers all around the world. There was no obituary for him in Ha'aretz as there was for Rachel. I know that his family and friends must feel for his passing much as I feel for Rachel's. I know that if she had the power, Rachel would have given all the attention on her death to his.

I know there can be no justice for Rachel. I don't know who was driving the bulldozer that killed her. I imagine it was an teenager who was angry or careless. I want nothing from him because I know he can do nothing to bring her back. I only wish he could understand our loss. I only wish he could see how sad we are. I only wish he could see how important she was to us. I only wish he could see how empty our world will be without our friend Rachel.

How can we remember Rachel? I can think of no more fitting tribute than for us to remember the Palestinian who died beside her, to feel for his friends and family as I wish the soldier driving the bulldozer could feel for us. I can think of no more fitting tribute than for all of us in Olympia to mourn each and every one of the losses of the people of Rafah as if they were our own. Whenever we hear that someone in Rafah has died, let us find out who he or she was.

The people of Rafah mourned the loss of Rachel as if she were one of their own. They loved her as a sister. "Rachel Corrie. USA Citizen with Palestinian blood," they painted on the wall across from her office in Rafah. Can we love the people of Rafah as they loved Rachel? Can we love the people of Rafah as we love our own friends and brothers and sisters? I think this is what Rachel was working for. Maybe someday no one will be killed in such a brutal way because we will love all the people of the world as our own.