U.S. Congressman Claims Detention by Israeli Settlers in West Bank

Ro Khanna, a 49‑year‑old Democratic congressman, told Reuters that he and his team were surrounded by armed Israeli settlers wielding M4 rifles while traveling in a van in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday. Khanna said he was detained for 90 minutes before the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) arrived and subsequently released the group.

In a post on X, Khanna wrote that when the IDF forces appeared, they “sided with the settlers and continued our detention.” He alleged the settlers blocked their vehicle and that the IDF’s actions were influenced by the settlers’ presence.

The IDF released a statement saying that they had acted after receiving a report that settlers had blocked traffic. Troops and police officers, it said, disrupted the settlement blockade and allowed the vehicles to resume travel. The United States Embassy in Jerusalem was called for assistance during the detention.

Khanna was on a fact‑finding tour of Khirbet Zanuta, a site where Israeli settlers had recently demolished a village and its school, according to the congressman. He described how “machines guns—an American‑made M4—were used to detain us,” and stressed that the settlements “are illegal under international law.”

The incident underscores the growing tensions in the area, where Israel has built roughly 160 settlements housing around 700,000 Jews since its occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 1967. About 3.3 million Palestinians live in the region, often in close proximity to these “illegal” settlements.

Khanna, who has two children and is rumored to be exploring a presidential bid in 2028, is urging greater scrutiny of the status quo and emphasizing the need for a fair resolution that respects both Israeli and Palestinian interests.