An English solicitor was denied entry to Israel last month, kept in a cell and then deported - having travelled to the country to speak at a human rights conference.

Kate Maynard, a solicitor at London firm Hickman & Rose, had been due to speak at an event organised by Avocats Sans Frontières, and had also planned to visit Palestinian clients in Gaza.


Ms Maynard believes she was detained by officials from Israel's Ministry of Defence because of her involvement in obtaining an arrest warrant against a major general in the Israeli army last year. She is also acting for more than 20 Palestinian clients who are alleging war crimes against the Israeli army.


Ms Maynard said: 'When I went towards passport control, I was taken away for questioning. They said that they did not believe that I was here to speak at a conference. The official was fingering a printout of an article in which I was quoted talking about the arrest warrant. He said I was collecting evidence against high-ranking officials. I declined to answer questions relating to my cases, because I felt it was privileged information.'



Ms Maynard was taken to a detention cell at 5am. She instructed an Israeli lawyer, who challenged the deportation. The judge recommended that she be allowed to stay under certain conditions, but fell short of making a court order to this effect - which meant the immigration authorities were still able to continue with the deportation.


Having spent almost 24 hours in custody and missing her slot to speak at the conference, Ms Maynard agreed to leave. 'There were long periods where I was not allowed to speak to the British embassy, or my Israeli lawyer.' She added: 'It's my clients who are suffering. I will do everything I can - within the law - to get access to them.'


A spokeswoman for the Israeli government said: 'It is a basic international principle that any sovereign state has the right to determine to whom it grants entry. This applies to Israelis visiting the UK and vice versa.'