Ro Khanna Says Israeli Settlers Detained Him in West Bank With American-Made Rifles

U.S. Democratic Representative Ro Khanna said he was detained by Israeli settlers armed with American-made rifles during a visit to the West Bank, describing the trip as seeing “real-life consequences of the Israeli occupation on people's lives.”

“US Congressman Ro Khanna on Sunday called for an investigation into armed Israeli occupiers and soldiers after he said his delegation had been detained during a visit to the occupied West Bank”

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Khanna told Reuters that settlers carrying M-4 rifles blocked a van he was riding in a southern West Bank area, and he said, “Then these criminals bearing M-4 assault rifles, American-made, detained us.”

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CBS News reported that Khanna said the Israel Defense Forces spoke with the settlers and moved a car to block the road, and that the ordeal lasted more than an hour while he was visiting the West Bank after the war in Gaza was sparked by a massive attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Al Jazeera reported that Khanna said he was travelling to a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday when armed settlers stopped his van for 20 minutes, and that the whole ordeal lasted more than an hour according to Khanna.

The Israeli army said that forces from the army and police intervened after receiving a report that settlers were obstructing the road near Khirbet Zanuta, and that “Upon arrival, the forces dispersed the Israeli civilians and allowed the cars to proceed on their way.”

Khanna accused the Israeli government and military of “lying” about his detention, and on NBC News’ Meet the Press he said, “The IDF is lying.”

In the same NBC appearance, Khanna said the settlers were “connected to Yinon Levi,” and he argued that Netanyahu “needs to open an investigation on these violent settlers who are connected to Yinon Levi.”

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Israel’s ambassador to the U.S., Michael Leiter, told CBS News he appeared to blame Khanna for the mistreatment, saying Khanna had failed to coordinate his trip with the Israeli government and that he “decided to coordinate his trip not with Israel, but with Palestinian activists and with J Street.”

Al Jazeera said Israel and its allies launched political attacks to discredit Khanna, and it quoted Leiter as saying, “Maybe this had more something to do with his support of Graham Platner beforehand.”

Netanyahu disputed Khanna’s account on NBC, saying the detainment was the work of “juvenile delinquents,” and he said, “We’re a country of laws, and people who break the law, we take them to court.”

Khanna called for charges and investigations after the incident, saying he “expect[s] Israel will prosecute the violent settlers and IDF soldiers who detained American citizens,” and he urged Netanyahu to open investigations into the occupiers and the actions of the four soldiers.

Newsweek reported that Khanna hoped Israeli authorities would bring charges against several armed Israeli settlers and IDF soldiers, while the IDF told Newsweek in an email that “the identity of the armed individual is currently under review.”

The Hill said Khanna alleged four IDF soldiers sided with the settlers and that he was allowed to pass “Seventy-five minutes after calling the U.S. embassy,” after which he called for an investigation into the four IDF officers.

CBS News reported that the United Nations said in May that more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem since the war began, and it also cited Yesh Din’s claim that Israeli soldiers accused of harming Palestinians are rarely penalized and were indicted in fewer than 1% of cases based on 2,427 complaints alleging wrongdoing between 2016 and 2024.

In the broader political context, Reuters and CBS News described how U.S. politicians from both sides of the aisle have visited the West Bank since the war in Gaza was sparked by Oct. 7, 2023, and how the incident fed partisan debate over U.S. policy toward Israel and Palestinians.