US Democrat Ro Khanna Detained by Israeli Settlers During West Bank Visit
Incident Occurs Near Ramallah
US Democrat Ro Khanna says he was – On Wednesday, US Congressman Ro Khanna, 49, reported being held hostage for 90 minutes by armed Israeli settlers while visiting the occupied West Bank. The event took place near Turmus Ayya, a location close to Ramallah, where he was traveling with his team in a van.
Khanna recounted the encounter to Reuters news agency, stating that the settlers had surrounded their vehicle and were armed with M4 rifles. He emphasized the situation’s urgency, noting that the settlers blocked the road and detained them without immediate assistance from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
“When the Israel Defense Forces arrived, they sided with the settlers and continued our detention,” Khanna stated on X. The statement highlights his perception of the military’s alignment with the settlers during the incident.
The Israeli military issued a statement clarifying that troops and police officers intervened after receiving reports that settlers had obstructed vehicles in the area. According to the IDF, upon their arrival, the soldiers dispersed Israeli civilians and allowed the vehicles to proceed.
Fact-Finding Mission and Political Ambitions
Khanna’s visit focused on examining the effects of the Israeli occupation at the site of Khirbet Zanuta’s ruins. The location, which has been devastated by settlers, was central to his assessment of the ongoing conflict. The congressman, a father of two, is also contemplating a bid for the presidency in 2028.
“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 explained. “These hoodlums come in with machine guns—M4, an American-made weapon—and they detain us. They block off the road. Then they call the IDF, and the IDF is on their side, not on the side of the Americans,” Khanna added.
During the detention, an aide accompanying Khanna said they sought help from the US Embassy in Jerusalem. The group was eventually released after a contingent of police officers intervened.
Historical Context of Israeli Settlements
Since the 1967 Middle East war, Israel has constructed approximately 160 settlements that house around 700,000 Jews. These settlements are located in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, areas Palestinians seek as part of a potential future state, alongside Gaza. An estimated 3.3 million Palestinians reside alongside these settlements.
