U.S. Congressman Ro Khanna Says He Was Detained by Israeli Settlers in West Bank – Israel Refutes Claim

Democratic Representative Ro Khanna, a California member of Congress and potential 2028 presidential candidate, said his three‑day fact‑finding trip to the occupied West Bank was interrupted when armed Israeli settlers blocked his convoy near the village of Khirbet Zanuta and detained him and his team for 20‑90 minutes. Khanna claimed the settlers brandished U.S.-made M4 rifles and that Israeli Defence Forces soldiers who arrived “sided with the settlers” and continued the blockage.

The Israel Defence Forces, Israeli police and the U.S. ambassador to Israel disputed the account. They said the area was a closed military zone, that the settlers unlawfully blocked the road, and that IDF troops quickly dispersed them and reopened the road without any physical confrontation. No violence was recorded in body‑camera footage, and video released by Khanna’s aide shows only a road blockage, not a detention.

Khanna denounced the incident as a “moral crisis” and said it would shape his political stance on the Israeli‑Palestinian conflict. Israeli officials, including Ambassador Michael Leiter, called the story a fabricated provocation and criticized Khanna for not coordinating the visit with Israeli authorities. Several U.S. lawmakers, such as Rep. Josh Gottheimer, labelled the episode a publicity stunt.