In the Middletown Press on Feb. 20, 2004 Marilyn Katz a professor of Classical Studies and Women's Studies wrote that Shadi Sukia, a "leading member" of Islmaic Jihad was found in ISM offices. She said, "Soldiers of the IDF found him there when they entered the ISM offices over the objections of the ISM Coordinator. A search of the offices of the 'non-violent' group turned up a pistol and a cache of Kalashnikov rifles."

Mr. Meissner self righteously accuses ISM of supporting terror and seeking the destruction of Israel. As evidence he offers Shadi Sukia who he describes as a terrorist wielding Kalashnikof rifles and a pistol and who was hidden by the ISM. I was the ISM media coordinator at the time and can relay the truth.

On March 27, 2003, the city of Jenin had been under 24-hour curfew for 5 consecutive days. During this time 4 children were shot by the Israeli Forces. Two of them died. Their crime was throwing stones and breaking curfew. Palestinian civilians are less likely to be shot dead when foreigners are present as witnesses

So when people in the ISM apartment in Jenin heard tanks and gunfire outside they immediately began to investigate. On her way out, one of the volunteers met a young man coming up the stairs. He looked terrified, was soaking wet and appeared to be in pain. He was brought into the apartment, given dry clothes, a hot drink and a blanket. Eventually the army came in and arrested him claiming he was a ‘wanted" man.

The Associated press then reported the Israeli army had found a gun in the apartment. I knew this to be absurd so I pursued it. After several days the army admitted that there were no guns in the apartment. The report by the army spokesperson had been false. The army and the Associated press officially retracted the story. Shadi Sukia, labeled a "senior terrorist", still sits in an Israeli jail with no charges filed against him, held without due process like thousands of other Palestinians. Yet the false claims about him and his rifles live on, perpetuated by ignorance or malice.

All of the attacks on ISM turn out to have no merit. After Martin Peretz, editor of the New Republic, penned an LA Times editorial stating that ISM assisted two suicide bombers, the LA Times was compelled to publish a correction stating that there was no evidence to support the claim. Joshua Hammer, a Newsweek journalist, wrote a feature for Mother Jones vilifying Rachel Corrie and the ISM, then admitted to plagiarizing from a right wing Israeli website.

And finally, the soldier who shot Tom Hurndall in the head has admitted to shooting an unarmed peace activist. For the nine months that Tom was in a coma, the story disseminated by the Israeli government was that they shot a terrorist in army fatigues that was shooting at the Israeli sniper tower. The truth is that Tom was of course unarmed and was shepherding children to safety who were being terrorized by the Israeli sniper.

The article from Arab American News. Was actually written for mainstream press but no-one would publish it. I re-wrote it for the Atlanta Journal Constitution. I might still try to use that version around for Rachel's anniversary