US Rep Ro Khanna detained by Israeli settlers in West Bank

U.S. Representative Ro Khanna said he was detained by armed Israeli settlers for over an hour this week during a visit to the occupied West Bank, alleging that Israeli military forces initially sided with the settlers against his American delegation. The incident occurred on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, near the Palestinian village of Khirbet Zanuta in the southern West Bank.

Khanna, a Democratic congressman from California, said his group was inspecting what he described as a village destroyed by settlers when a group of armed men blocked their vehicle's path. The congressman stated the settlers were brandishing American-made M4 rifles. He alleged the settlers summoned the Israeli Defense Forces, and that the troops who arrived first supported the settlers, continuing the detention. After more than an hour, and following calls to the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, Israeli police officers arrived and dispersed the settlers, allowing Khanna's group to proceed.

The Israeli military provided a different account to news organizations, stating that army and police forces responded to a report of Israeli civilians blocking vehicles near Khirbet Zanuta. The military said that upon arrival, the...