Israeli soldiers have depraved “fun” making “Rachel Corrie pancakes”

Ali Abunimah 19 July 2013

Israeli soldiers had a “fun” time making what they called “Rachel Corrie pancakes.”

Photos of the event were posted on the Facebook page of the “Heritage House,” a settlement in occupied East Jerusalem that houses so-called “lone soldiers,” men recruited from overseas to join the Israeli occupation forces.

Nesim Pesarel, one of the “Heritage House” residents, seen in a photo from his personal Facebook page.

Above the photos of young men, some in Israeli army fatigues or apparently carrying guns, is the caption “Afternoon of ‘rachel corrie’ Pancakes and fun!”

Rachel Corrie is the young American woman murdered by an Israeli soldier who crushed her to death with a bulldozer as she tried to prevent the demolition of a Palestinian family home in the occupied Gaza Strip on 16 March 2003.

The depraved joke that these men were presumably making is a play on the English idiom “flat as a pancake.” Their celebration and joking about Rachel Corrie’s death is utterly vile and reflects the culture of dehumanization inculcated into Israeli soldiers.

Ben Packer, the director and rabbi of “Heritage House,” hit back at some negative comments about the images, posting this response:

In honor of the all the hate messages from the anti-Israel/Jewish crowd, one of our supporters has pledged $5 towards Israeli settlements (maybe for additional bulldozers) for each additional comment. keep’em coming anti-semites! We love our Israeli soldiers and will not back down in the face of those who attempt to endanger them!

Packer added, “Anti-Israel activists are all in a tizzy about these pictures! makes them even funnier!!!”

The page also appeals for donations “to support our guests and ‘lone soldiers.’” Residents of the “Heritage House” settlement also take part in colonization activities in other parts of the occupied West Bank, including Hebron.

Alex Winston is the “den mother” of The Heritage House men’s dormitory. Alex Winston is a member of the Israeli army’s Givati Brigade.

Nesim Pasarel (right with weapon) and Jonathan Leibovits (seated)

(Update: The gallery was removed shortly after the publication of this post.)

The true face of the “IDF”

In recent months, The Electronic Intifada has highlighted incidents of Israeli soldiers using social media to advocate brutal violence, and acts of sadistic torture and murder of children.

The Electronic Intifada also revealed images soldiers posted on the photo-sharing site Instagram of nudity, drug use and violence and most notoriously of a Palestinian child seen through the scope of a sniper’s rifle.

This week, the army began investigating a video posted online of Israeli soldiers frying a small bird alive, an act that had no purpose but gratuitous animal cruelty.

Israeli army attempts to halt social media scandals

The “Rachel Corrie pancakes” photos provide yet another window into the Israeli army’s culture of violence and come just as the occupation forces have tried to staunch the flow of embarrassing incidents on social media that have hurt its propaganda efforts.

The campaign, which includes this YouTube video, urges soldiers to “improve their image online.”

The voiceover in the video commands:

Soldier! Improve your appearance! Always remember: You are the face of the IDF. So improve your appearance - online!

The IDF is glad to invite you to get connected, share, love, tweet, respond, and show the pretty face of the IDF.

So go into the official pages and send us pictures, videoclips, and stories. The IDF on the Internet. One army, everybody’s face.

The “lone soldiers” at the Heritage House settler-colony have clearly not got the message.

With thanks to Dena Shunra for assistance with research and translation and Benjamin Doherty for assistance with research.

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Comments

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Bibi replied on

As a veteran, I can state categorically that IDF are not 'soldiers'. Soldiers are professionals, with a code of conduct, in the service of a state. Green clothes and a rifle does not make a religious thug a soldier.

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Temsamani replied on

This is just SICK.
These so called soldiers are just cowards, committing the unthinkable and then having fun with it afterwards.
They are not just isolated elements. The whole israeli army is at their image: sick and vicious.
All the propaganda israel pays for won't change that.

Free Palestine!

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Gail Coleman replied on

While they seem to not see others as human beings, they show their total lack of humanity! I hope I live to see the day when my country stops supporting them. I am, however, not holding my breath!

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Paul Nyssen replied on

Short of a radical change in how Israel deals with its neighbours, Israel will not last.

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Rashad replied on

One can't help but feel sorry for such lost souls, but our pity should not prevent us from seeing the oppressor for what he is. In reality these soldiers are victims of religious manipulations and they probably don't sleep well at night in my assessment, and in their tasteless attempt to degrade Rachel they unintentionally dehumanized themselves.

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Temsamani replied on

I could not agree more. Very nicely put Rashad...

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Bruce replied on

Perhaps the Restivus should rustle up some Australian Crepe CAKES!

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gabi replied on

This is unbelievable. Evil thugs. Not the sort you want to bring home to meet your mum? How is it possible that these scum are supported by the IDF? Well, actually, supported by Israeli taxpayers.

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Ai Remez replied on

I wonder why in your article you fail to mention the context of this vile behavior: The presentation of the Hebrew version of "My Name Is Rachel Corrie" In Jerusalem.
It doesn't make it any better or worse, but this is the full picture: while some Israelis stage the diaries of Rachel Corrie, others do as you report. Although the latter seem to have more influence on Israeli culture, It is a pity you insist on not mentioning the performance.

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Mhara Costello replied on

This has to be the ultimate in how low a so called human being can sink. Utterly vile and depraved beyond belief. Imagine how Rachel Corries parents and family must feel at seeing their daughters memory trashed and ridiculed in such a sick way. There are no words to describe the revulsion decent people everywhere will feel on reading this article. We need a new word in the dictionary to describe such actions. Evil simply doesn't cut it. IImagine if this was your child, your daughter. Rachel was brave beyond words. Some might say stupid. Well, yes; I suppose it could be termed 'stupid' to attempt to stop an israeli bulldozer demolishing a Palestinian family's home on their own land, in their own country, whilst they're still living in it and the kids are looking on. Far better, 'sensible' even , to 'walk on by'. Good Samaritans are thin on the ground these days in the 'Holy Land'. The only thing 'holy' I can see are the craters left behind by Caterkiller D9's that were once Palestinian homes. To 'The Most Moral Army'. Well done. Your mothers must be proud of you.

Mhara Costello

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Ariel Nassau replied on

Hi,

The event reported in this blogpost is both outrageous and sad. After reading it I did some research to find out more about this deplorable happening. However, I was not able to find anything. The few other bloggers that mention this event cite this one as the news source.

Can you lead me in the right direction to find more evidence of the event? As you mentioned, The Heritage Foundation's facebook page took the album down after the publication of this post, but I'm sure there are still a number of places where I can get this information.

Thanks,
Ariel

Ali Abunimah

Co-founder of The Electronic Intifada and author of The Battle for Justice in Palestine, now out from Haymarket Books.

Also wrote One Country: A Bold-Proposal to End the Israeli-Palestinian Impasse. Opinions are mine alone.