US Congressman Ro Khanna, a progressive Democrat from California, stated that armed Israeli settlers detained him during a visit to the occupied West Bank, providing a firsthand glimpse into the challenges faced by Palestinians under occupation. The incident occurred on 9 July 2026 in the southern West Bank, an area experiencing repeated settler attacks.
Details of the Detention
In an interview with Reuters from a Palestinian village, Khanna explained that settlers carrying US-made M4 rifles surrounded his delegation's van. The group was visiting a village that had been destroyed by settlers, including its school. Khanna recounted, "We were at a village that Israeli settlers had destroyed – they had destroyed the school, they had destroyed that village, and we were just looking at it."
He further described how the settlers blocked the road and called the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), which receives US military aid. "These hoodlums … detain us. They block off the road. And then they call the IDF and the IDF is on their side, not on the side of the Americans," Khanna said.
Arrogance of Power
Khanna expressed dismay at the behavior of the settlers and IDF soldiers. "I saw the arrogance in the eyes of those settlers, 21- and 22-year-olds with guns, laughing that they had detained us, the arrogance of those young IDF soldiers that my tax dollars are funding – having no respect for the fact that they were detaining Americans," he told Reuters.
Khanna's aide, Cameron Kasky, confirmed the incident on X, writing, "The IDF showed up to back up the settlers, not the US congressman." The New York Times first reported the account on 10 July 2026, with Khanna stating, "I felt powerless in that situation, which is not an easy thing, as I have a lot of privilege in life. Imagine how people feel every day, Palestinians under the occupation, if they could make an American congressperson feel powerless for 90 minutes."
Resolution and Context
Khanna and his group were eventually able to continue after contacting the US embassy and Israeli police. The Israeli military said troops and police responded to a report of settlers obstructing vehicles near Khirbet Zanuta, a Palestinian hamlet whose residents were forced to leave after violent settler raids following the October 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel.
More than 700,000 Israelis reside in settlements across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. The United Nations considers these settlements illegal, and Israel has faced criticism over settler violence. Since 1967, restrictions have hindered the West Bank's economy, intensifying after the 7 October 2023 attacks. Nearly 300,000 Palestinians have lost employment in the West Bank and Israel.
Broader Implications
A June 2026 UN independent commission of inquiry concluded that Israeli authorities and security forces have "deliberately targeted Palestinian children resulting in genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes in the Gaza Strip and war crimes in the West Bank." According to human rights organization Yesh Din, no Israeli has been indicted for killing a Palestinian since October 2023.
Khanna, a vocal critic of the Gaza war and West Bank occupation, has clashed with his party's establishment. In May 2026, he criticized the Democratic National Committee's postmortem report on the 2024 presidential election loss, which did not mention Gaza. Khanna said, "As someone who campaigned in Michigan and Wisconsin, let me tell you – one of the reasons we lost is our blank check to Israel and [prime minister Benjamin] Netanyahu while they committed genocide in Gaza." He added that the party must confront hard truths to win in 2028.
When asked about a potential presidential run, Khanna told Reuters, "I'm strongly considering it. And I'm more resolved to consider it after this trip."
