He showed absolute disregard for the state of Israel and its sovereignty

Daniel Seaman Israeli Government spokesman

Mr Quinan, who visited the area under the auspices of the Red Crescent and the International Solidarity Movement, described the experience as "very frightening".

His actions were attacked by Israeli Government spokesman Daniel Seaman, who said it was public knowledge that no-one was allowed to visit Mr Arafat.

However, the MSP made a second attempt on Monday accompanied by Jewish peace activists after being invited by the Palestinian Authority.

Once again the group was told to turn back by members of the Israeli Defence Force (IDF).

However, he said: "I saw a whole different side of the defence forces this morning - they were actually quite nice to people.

Aid effort

"There was no manhandling and no rounds fired."

Mr Quinan, a vice-convener of the Scottish Parliament's cross-party group on Palestine, was in the Middle East as part of efforts to provide aid to people within the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

He said that when the group got to Ramallah on Sunday and did not see any soldiers at the gate of the compound they thought that meant the Israelis had agreed to let them visit Mr Arafat.

"When we got to the centre of the compound, shots were fired over our heads without warning and then four stun grenades were thrown at us," he told BBC Radio Scotland.

Lloyd Quinan: "Very frightening"

"Then the Israeli Defence Force soldiers appeared, manhandled myself and a number of other people from the compound while throwing stun grenades."

Mr Quinan also alleged that the IDF tore up a St Andrew's Cross he had taken with him to identify himself.

"It was frankly a very frightening experience, but the behaviour of the IDF I have to say was despicable," he said.

The MSP said he had sustained cuts and bruises during the incident but a German camerawoman had suffered shrapnel injuries to her foot.

However, Mr Seaman said: "He should respect the laws and instructions of a foreign country, especially when he is a visitor, and he apparently didn't do that.

'Not playing games'

"He showed absolute disregard for the state of Israel and its sovereignty," he said.

"The fact that he wasn't shot at and killed, which would have been done in any other country in the world, he's sort of exaggerating in his description."

Mr Seaman said Mr Quinan had not arranged the meeting in advance with the Israeli authorities and stressed: "We're not playing games.

"He's not coming to a carnival, he's coming to a war zone, and a war zone where it is declared that Arafat is off-limits to everybody."

However, Mr Quinan said he did not believe he needed to ask the Israelis' permission to enter Palestinian areas.