U.S. Representative Ro Khanna briefly stopped by civilians and released after Israeli forces cleared West Bank road

U.S. Representative Ro Khanna was detained by armed Israeli settlers near the Palestinian village of Zanuta in the southern West Bank on July 10. The standoff lasted between 75 and 90 minutes after settlers blocked his van on a narrow dirt road off Highway 60.

Settlers brandished what appeared to be M4 assault rifles, kicked the tires of the van, recorded the group, and prevented departure. Khanna’s delegation included staffer Cameron Kasky, a driver, and a security guard. Two additional white pickup trucks carrying armed settlers arrived during the standoff.

A vehicle with four people in green military uniforms reached the scene. Khanna and Kasky stated that the security aide identified the four people as Israeli military personnel who joined the settlers, laughed, talked, and smoked cigarettes instead of reopening the road.

The Israeli military stated that troops dispersed the settlers after receiving a report of blocked vehicles and that soldiers did not participate in the blockade.

The military added that the identity of the armed individual remains under review. Khanna phoned an official at the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, who urged the group not to escalate. After more than an hour the settlers and soldiers left.

Israeli police then arrived and instructed the group not to return under threat of arrest. Khanna stated that the settlers carried American-made M4 rifles. “We’re supplying them the M4s that they’re using to detain American citizens,” he said.

Khanna is a co-sponsor of the Block the Bombs bill and the West Bank Violence Prevention Act. He introduced a resolution opposing settlement expansion in January. U.S. military aid to Israel totals $3.8 billion per year.

The West Bank has a population of about 3 million Palestinians and around 500,000 Jewish settlers.