Twelve people marched in protest of Caterpillar Inc. Friday in an effort to halt the U.S.-made equipment from being sold to Israel. The group shouted “Caterpillar, stop bulldozing homes” and said the equipment is being used by Israelis to ruin Palestinian lives.

The protesters timed their protest with the dedication ceremony of the Caterpillar Mechatronics Laboratory in Hoover Hall.

“Israelis use [the Caterpillar bulldozer] to destroy homes and olive groves,” said protester Cheryl Brodersen, aunt of Rachel Corrie, who was killed March 16 by an American-made Caterpillar bulldozer.

Corrie was a member of the International Solidarity Movement, a nonviolent protest group. She was trying to prevent the demolition of homes owned by Palestinians when she was killed by a bulldozer, Brodersen said.

Bonnie Brodersen, also an aunt of Corrie, said her niece wrote e-mails from Rafah, Gaza about the devastation and destruction the Israeli army was causing.

“One goal of the army is to destroy the spirit of Palestinians,” Bonnie Brodersen said.

The group of protesters was made of Corrie’s four aunts and various people from Iowa, including people from the Palestine Unabridged Group, Cheryl Brodersen said.

Those marching held signs that read “No blood money for ISU” and “Death and destruction in Palestine is financed by your tax dollars via Caterpillar.”

Cheryl Brodersen said the university should reconsider its relationship with Caterpillar, Inc.

“The university is to be a forefront for teaching and analyzing ethical and moral behavior,” she said. “I do not believe Caterpillar corporation can claim to be either ethical or moral.”

Richard Lavin, vice president of Caterpillar Inc., said Israel is not a boycotted country by the United States, which has legal restrictions on where Caterpillar can refuse to sell their products.

“[Caterpillar] leaves the political issues to the politicians,” Lavin said. In the case of Rachel Corrie, Lavin said it was a tragic situation and his heart goes out to the family.

Cheryl Brodersen said she wants peace, but U.S. citizens cannot expect it when companies like Caterpillar Inc. sell bulldozers to countries like Israel.

“I believe the people of the U.S., Iowa, and the world cannot expect peace when corporations provide weapons of destruction used in our name,” she said.