U.S. Representative Ro Khanna (D-California) has publicly stated that he and members of his delegation were detained by armed Israeli settlers during a visit to the occupied West Bank earlier this week.
In a statement shared on social media and in interviews, Rep. Khanna described the incident occurring while his group toured a Palestinian village in the southern West Bank that had reportedly suffered recent attacks by settlers. He claimed settlers wielding U.S.-made M4 rifles blocked their vehicle and detained the group for over an hour.
“When the IDF arrived, they sided with the settlers & continued our detention. They made a huge mistake,” Khanna wrote, adding that he will provide further details soon.
The California Democrat framed the experience as offering an unfiltered view of conditions faced by Palestinians under occupation. He expressed concern over the incident, noting the involvement of young settlers and Israeli soldiers, and highlighted the use of American-made weapons.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have disputed aspects of the account, stating that troops dispersed the settlers and did not participate in blocking the delegation. The event has drawn attention to ongoing tensions and reports of increased settler violence in the region.
Rep. Khanna, who is on a multi-day trip to the area, has been vocal about U.S. policy toward Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He described the ordeal as a “moral test” and a first-hand encounter with the daily realities in the West Bank.