Briton "unlawfully killed" by Israeli soldier -court

LONDON, Apr 10 (Reuters) An inquest ruled today that a British peace activist, shot in the head by an Israeli soldier in the Gaza Strip in 2003 as he shepherded Palestinian children to safety during a gunfight, had been deliberately killed.

Taysir Hayb, a Bedouin Arab soldier, was convicted last year of manslaughter for killing 22-year-old Tom Hurndall as he helped a group of children cross a street to avoid gunfire in Rafah in the occupied Gaza Strip.

The inquest in London returned a verdict of unlawful killing with intent to kill.

Last week another London inquest ruled that 34-year-old British cameraman James Miller had been murdered by the Israeli army after he was fatally shot in the neck in Rafah just weeks after Hurndall.

Hurndall had been wearing a bright orange jacket to distinguish himself from combatants, and his parents said senior Israeli officials should answer for his death, arguing Hayb had been made a scapegoat for carrying out Israeli army policy.

They said the British government was obliged to pursue the case with Israeli authorities under the Geneva Conventions Act.

''It is now down to the British government to take action,'' Anthony Hurndall told reporters.

''British citizens in Israel are not safe nor are the local civilians safe.'' Hayb was sentenced to eight years in jail after admitting he had shot at Hurndall in order to scare, not kill him. Hayb had originally told Israeli investigators he only fired on Palestinian gunmen.

The Israeli army had initially decided not to press charges against Hayb, citing a lack of firm evidence, but later changed its mind after Hurndall's parents travelled to Israel and lobbied officials.

Israeli judges concluded Hayb was a crack marksman with a telescopic rifle sight and had a clear line of fire towards Hurndall.

REUTERS SRS HS2157