Ro Khanna Accuses Israel, IDF of Lying About 20-Minute West Bank Detention
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 12
Ro Khanna Accuses Israel, IDF of Lying About 20-Minute West Bank Detention
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 12
Summary
Ro Khanna said Israeli settlers and four IDF soldiers detained his delegation for about 20 minutes in the South Hebron hills, contradicting the military’s account that troops quickly dispersed civilians and reopened the road.
Video from Khanna and his aides showed armed settlers blocking the convoy near Zanuta, with Khanna saying settlers brandished M4 rifles, kicked the van’s tires and that soldiers later told his translator they were "on the side of the settlers."
Khanna called on Benjamin Netanyahu to investigate both the settlers and the four soldiers, linking the attackers to settler Yinon Levi, whom he said had helped drive Palestinians from Zanuta and was not prosecuted over a previous killing.
Israeli officials and ambassador Michael Leiter countered that Khanna rejected official trip planning and staged the visit for political reasons, while Breaking the Silence director Nadav Weiman backed Khanna and said soldiers joined settlers in detaining the group for over an hour.
The clash spotlights widening scrutiny of settler violence in the occupied West Bank, where all Israeli settlements are illegal under international law and rights groups say Palestinians are being driven from their homes.
Will a congressman’s testimony finally bring accountability for West Bank violence?
Is escalating settler violence a rogue problem or a deliberate Israeli state policy?
When a US lawmaker is detained by an ally, whose official story prevails?
U.S. Congressman Ro Khanna’s Detention by Israeli Settlers and IDF in West Bank: Incident Details, Conflicting Accounts, and Implications for U.S.-Israel Relations
Overview
On July 8, 2026, U.S. Representative Ro Khanna and other Americans were detained near Khirbet Zanuta in the West Bank by Israeli settlers armed with American-made rifles. Khanna described feeling powerless as the settlers intimidated the group. When Israeli soldiers arrived, they reportedly sided with the settlers and continued the detention, prompting diplomatic intervention from the U.S. Embassy and Israeli officials for Khanna's release. This incident highlighted the close cooperation between settlers and the military, raising concerns about accountability and reflecting the broader issues of settler violence and impunity faced daily by Palestinians.