"British citizens in Israel are not safe..........!"

If you have thought about going to Israel for holiday think again!
YOU ARE NOT SAFE!


Gaza Briton family demand action
Tom Hurndall
Tom Hurndall died nine months after he was shot
The family of a Briton shot dead by an Israeli soldier in Gaza has demanded the UK government take action against the man's commanding officers.

An inquest on Monday returned a verdict that Tom Hurndall, 22, was "intentionally killed" in April 2003.

He was moving children away from the army in the Palestinian town of Rafah.

His family and their QC, Michael Mansfield, want the government to pursue five named Israeli soldiers named. One has already been jailed.

Taysir Hayb, a Bedouin Arab soldier, was convicted of manslaughter in 2005 and jailed for eight years.

But the family say he was made a scapegoat for Israeli army policy and blame for the killing goes higher up.

Jury's 'dismay'

A jury at St Pancras Coroner's Court in London ruled he had been unlawfully killed.

The jury said: "He was shot intentionally with the intention of killing him.


It's now down to the British Government to take action
Anthony Hurndall

Killed 'protecting others'

"The jury would like to express its dismay with the lack of cooperation from the Israeli authorities."

Outside the court Mr Mansfield said: "Make no mistake about it, the Israeli defence forces have been found culpable by this jury of murder,"

Murder of a civilian by a soldier is regarded as a war crime under the Geneva Convention, and can be tried in British courts regardless of where the death took place.

Mr Mansfield called on the government to consider prosecuting the people in command, not just those who pulled the trigger.

'There's no point in having Geneva Conventions, international criminal law incorporated into domestic law unless that is a possibility," he said.

'Scapegoated' soldier

Tom Hurndall, a journalism and photography student at Manchester Metropolitan University, was with the International Solidarity Movement acting as a human shield when he was shot.

He died from his injuries nine months later.

Tom's father, Anthony, said: "It's now down to the British Government to take action.

"There have been five officers of the Israeli army named in the proceedings today and they should be investigated by the government here.

"British citizens in Israel are not safe, nor are the local civilians safe.

He said that he would consider bringing a private prosecution against the individuals he believes killed his son.

Asked what he thought of ex-soldier Taysir Hayb, who is serving eight years in jail for his son's manslaughter, Mr Hurndall said: "He would say he's been scapegoated.

"He was simply doing what he had been told."

Second murder

Another coroner, Dr Andrew Reid, is to write to the attorney general about the case and the death of James Miller, who was shot three weeks later.

An inquest last week decided Mr Miller had been murdered.

Dr Reid will ask if there is any further legal action which could be taken relating to the deaths.

Mr Miller was killed by a member of the Israeli Defence Force just a mile away in Rafah three weeks after Mr Hurndall was shot.