U.S. Democrat Ro Khanna detained briefly by Israeli settlers in Palestine
U.S. Congressman Ro Khanna reported being briefly detained by armed Israeli settlers while visiting the West Bank. He stated that the IDF sided with the settlers during the incident, which he used to highlight the powerlessness felt by Palestinians under occupation.
Why it matters
The incident involving a high-profile U.S. politician underscores the volatile security situation in the West Bank and its impact on international diplomatic relations.
Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna, a 2028 U.S. Presidential aspirant, on Saturday (July 11, 2026) said he was detained by gun-wielding Israeli settlers while on a visit to Palestine.
Mr. Khanna, a Democrat from California, was visiting on Wednesday (July 8, 2026) the ruins of Khirbet Zanuta, a Bedouin village in the southern West Bank that was abandoned after attacks from Israeli settlers when the incident took place.
A handout image shows Israeli settlers blocking the convoy of U.S. Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA), his press team says, in Khirbet Zanuta, during a visit in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, July 8, 2026. | Photo Credit: Reuters
“Israeli settlers, brandishing American-made M4S, detained me and other Americans on my trip to Palestine. When the IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) arrived, they sided with the settlers and continued our detention. They made a huge mistake,” Mr. Khanna said in a post on X.
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