A PALESTINIAN photojournalist has condemned armed Israeli soldiers who allegedly raided his home as he travelled to Edinburgh to present a talk.

Acclaimed photographer Hamde Abu Rahma, 28, expects to be interrogated when he returns to Palestine, having been on a tour of Scotland for two weeks as an outspoken critic of what he describes as the “oppression and brutality” he has witnessed in his homeland.

Exhibitions of his work, with supplementary talks titled Shooting the Occupation, document his life as a journalist on the West Bank.

He was finally allowed into Britain after a two-year battle after twice being refused a visa.

Haitham Khatib, another Palestine-based freelance journalist and film-maker, recorded what he described as a night raid on three houses in Mr Abu Rahma’s home village of Bil’in in the West Bank.

Mr Khatib, who also lives in Bil’in, near Ramallah, said soldiers searched the homes of Mr Abu Rahma, a brother and an uncle which are in the same block and said soldiers took photographs of those living there.

Mr Abu Rahma said the video showed a raid on his brother Mostafa’s home. His brother’s wife and two young children were in the house when the armed soldiers broke in.

“It’s treating the people badly to come like that in the middle of the night,” said Mr Abu Rahma. “It seems to be a message to me to tell me that they are in my house because they know my exhibition’s here. It’s maybe to scare me or something.

“My family have done nothing, but they break into the house, with children there. And the video shows my brother who wants to go and see his children.

“It hurt me to see that but I know my family are strong.”

And he added: “I think they will question me [when I return] and ask what I have done and what I am doing. This is what they do.

Mr Abu Rahma will return to Palestine next week.

The journalist took up photography after the death of his cousin Baseem, who was shot dead by the Israelis during a demonstration in 2009. Only two years later his other cousin, and Baseem’s sister Jawaher, was also killed.

The acclaimed journalist had hoped to come to Britain for a tour between June 1 and 21 to exhibit his work around Scotland and share his experiences.

However, it emerged that the UK Visas and Immigration decided to refuse his visa application saying there was no proof of funding and that therefore they were not satisfied he was a genuine visitor and that he would not leave at the end of the proposed visit.

It said they were not satisfied that he would not undertake “prohibited activities” which included taking employment in the UK, studying, accessing medical treatment, or marrying or forming a civil partnership.

The Network of Photographers for Palestine raised more than £2,500 through two online crowdfunding appeals for the visit to pay for his travel, accommodation, living expenses and his visa application.

The first stop of his tour was at the Govanhill Baths, Glasgow on August 9 for a talk before, travelling up to Inverness to speak on Saturday before returning to Edinburgh to speak at the Tollcross Community Centre on Tuesday.

He is now on a tour of England, visiting Newcastle, Coventry, Liverpool and London. Last year, the photographer was refused entry to take part in an Edinburgh Festival Fringe event saying he had no proof of income or bank statements, despite having proved the Fringe was financially sponsoring him and paying for his accommodation.

The Israel Embassy in London did not respond to a request for comment.