U.S. Representative Ro Khanna Detained by Armed Settlers in West Bank

U.S. Representative Ro Khanna was detained for 75 to 90 minutes by armed Israeli settlers near the Palestinian village of Zanuta in the southern West Bank on July 10. Settlers blocked Khanna’s van on a narrow dirt road off Highway 60, brandished what appeared to be M4 assault rifles, kicked the tires, 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 said the security aide identified them 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. “We’re supplying them the weapons that they’re using to kill Palestinian Americans.

Khanna is a co-sponsor of the Block the Bombs bill and the West Bank Violence Prevention Act. -Israeli weapons development and introduced a resolution opposing settlement expansion in January. The West Bank has a population of about 3 million Palestinians and around 500,000 Jewish settlers.

U.S. military aid to Israel totals $3.8 billion per year.