US Lawmaker Ro Khanna Detained By Armed Israeli Settlers During West Bank Visit
US Lawmaker Ro Khanna Detained By Armed Israeli Settlers During West Bank Visit Published By, Last Updated: July 11, 2026, 18:42 IST Khanna, a progressive
US Lawmaker Ro Khanna Detained By Armed Israeli Settlers During West Bank Visit Published By, Last Updated: July 11, 2026, 18:42 IST Khanna, a progressive lawmaker from California in the U.S. House of Representatives, was at a village in the West Bank, which he said was destroyed by Israeli settlers. Rapid Read Ro Khanna said the US launched a unilateral war against Iran without consulting allies, arguing that the conflict damaged Washington's credibility and drove up energy costs for countries like India. (IMAGE: REUTERS) US Democratic lawmaker Ro Khanna said he was detained by armed Israeli settlers during a visit to the West Bank, describing the incident as deeply troubling and accusing Israeli forces of siding with the settlers. Khanna, a progressive Democrat representing California in the US House of Representatives, said the incident occurred while he was visiting a Palestinian village that he claimed had been destroyed by Israeli settlers. Speaking about the encounter, Khanna alleged that armed settlers blocked their movement and prevented them from leaving the area.
“We were at a village that Israeli settlers had destroyed. They had destroyed the school, they had destroyed the village, and we were there looking at it," Khanna said. “These hoodlums came in with machine guns — M4s, American-made rifles — and they detained us. They blocked off the road and then called the IDF. The IDF was on their side, not on the side of the Americans," he alleged. Visit Comes Amid Growing Debate Over US-Israel Ties Khanna’s comments came during a high-profile visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories, amid growing debate within the Democratic Party over US policy toward Israel and the ongoing conflict in the region. The California lawmaker is the second prominent Democrat with potential presidential ambitions to visit the region this week. Chicago mayor and e White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, who has also been mentioned as a possible White House contender, said during a visit to Tel Aviv that Israeli policies toward Palestinians were weakening support for the US-Israel relationship.
Khanna Signals Interest In White House Run When asked whether he was considering a run for the White House, Khanna said the trip had strengthened his resolve to explore a presidential campaign. “I’m strongly considering it, and I’m more resolved to consider it after this trip," he said. Khanna has emerged as one of the leading progressive voices within the Democratic Party and has frequently spoken on issues ranging from foreign policy and technology regulation to economic reform. Tensions In The West Bank Israel has occupied the West Bank since the 1967 Middle East war. The territory is home to roughly three million Palestinians, alongside more than 500,000 Israeli settlers living in settlements across the region, excluding East Jerusalem. The expansion of Israeli settlements remains one of the most contentious issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has drawn criticism from several countries and international organisations. Khanna’s allegations are likely to add to the ongoing debate in Washington over US policy toward Israel, particularly as divisions within the Democratic Party continue to grow over the treatment of Palestinians and the future of the US-Israel alliance.
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