Member of Ro Khanna's West Bank entourage gives full recount of incident to 'Post'

US Representative Ro Khanna stated he was detained by settlers armed with US-made rifles during a recent visit to the West Bank. Khanna, who represents California's 17th district, is a vocal critic of the Israeli government and has supported legislation to penalize Israel over its actions in Gaza. He was in the region meeting with Palestinians.

Khanna's account states his group's van was surrounded by settlers wielding M4 rifles while touring Khirbet Zanuta, an area where residents were forcibly displaced by settlers in December 2024. The congressman accused four IDF soldiers of aiding the settlers and threatening American lives, calling for their arrest and prosecution.

Israeli officials largely concur with Khanna's narrative up to the point of the settlers' actions. However, they dispute the IDF's role, asserting that military forces dispersed the settlers who were unlawfully detaining and harassing Khanna and his group. According to military sources, the IDF did not detain Khanna, and he had no prior communication with the military regarding his visit. Officials also noted that no official complaint has been filed, which is necessary for them to pursue arrests of those involved.

Nadav Weiman, executive director of Breaking the Silence, a group focused on exposing the realities of the occupation, helped run Khanna's tour. Breaking the Silence aims to inform the public about the daily experiences of Palestinians under Israeli military rule in the territories.

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The Israeli government is lying to cover up for four IDF soldiers who aided violent settlers brandishing M4 guns and threatening American lives. I am calling for their arrest and prosecution.