US Congressman Ro Khanna says he was "detained" by Israeli settlers and troops in West Bank
Washington DC - California Congressman Ro Khanna claimed that he was recently detained by several members of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)
In an X post shared on Saturday, Khanna claimed Israeli settlers "brandishing American-made M4s" detained him and others he was traveling with on a trip to Palestine.
"When the IDF arrived, they sided with the settlers and continued our detention," Khanna wrote, adding, "They made a huge mistake."
According to The New York Times, the IDF shared a statement Saturday claiming they had received a report Wednesday of civilians unlawfully blocking the vehicles of foreign nationals and members of the news media.
The IDF then claims the troops dispatched to investigate quickly reopened the road, disputing Khanna's claim that they participated in keeping it closed for 90 minutes.
They also said that the identity of the armed civilian was being reviewed.
Khanna – an outspoken critic of Israel's war on Gaza and a potential 2028 presidential candidate – told The Times he was on a three-day trip specifically to see the West Bank.
"I'm going to go to every corner of America, regardless of whether I run or not, and tell their stories and tell the story of what is happening in the West Bank," he vowed.
In a similar incident on Saturday, a group of Israeli settlers blocked and damaged a vehicle carrying several CNN journalists.
IDF troops managed to secure the CNN journalists' passage and arrested the four settlers believed to be involved in the incident.
Cover photo: ALEX WONG / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP