Ro Khanna accused the Israeli military of lying about his recent detention by armed settlers and soldiers in the occupied West Bank, stating the IDF aided the settlers. Israeli officials claim Khanna visited for a headline and to distract from other issues.
The incident highlights ongoing tensions in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and raises questions about the conduct of Israeli settlers and soldiers towards American citizens, potentially impacting US-Israel relations and domestic US political discourse.
Ro Khanna, a Democratic Congressman from California, has accused the Israeli government and military of lying about his recent detention by armed settlers and Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank. Khanna posted video evidence showing settlers and soldiers blocking his convoy near the village of Zanuta.
During an interview on NBC News' Meet the Press, Khanna stated that the Israeli military's claim of quickly dispersing the settlers and reopening the road was false. He described the incident as unprecedented, with violent settlers brandishing rifles and detaining American citizens, including himself, for about 20 minutes. Khanna alleged that four IDF soldiers arrived and told his translator they were on the side of the settlers, further detaining them and blocking their vehicle.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had also appeared on Meet the Press, referred to the settlers who stopped Khanna's vehicle as a small group of "juvenile delinquents." Khanna responded by calling for an investigation into these settlers, specifically mentioning Yinon Levi, who he claims has destroyed a village and killed Palestinians, and into the four IDF officers involved.
Israeli officials, including Israel's ambassador to the US Michael Leiter, countered Khanna's claims. They suggested Khanna's visit was a political stunt, aimed at generating headlines and distracting from other issues, and that he had rejected the Israeli government's offer to help plan his trip. Leiter also accused Khanna of visiting the West Bank to appeal to Democratic voters and potentially promote a future presidential run.
Khanna refuted these accusations on social media, stating the Israeli government was covering up for the IDF soldiers who aided the settlers. He affirmed his condemnation of the October 7th attacks but stated this did not excuse the IDF's actions. Nadav Weiman, director of Breaking the Silence, a group of former Israeli soldiers opposing the occupation, supported Khanna's account, stating that IDF soldiers joined the armed settlers in detaining the delegation for over an hour and that the IDF was lying.
Khanna's aide, Cameron Kasky, a survivor of the Parkland school shooting, also documented the incident on social media.