US Democratic Representative Ro Khanna was briefly detained by Israeli settlers armed with US-made rifles during a visit to the southern West Bank this week, highlighting ongoing tensions between Palestinians and settlers in the region. Khanna, who represents California in the House of Representatives and is weighing a 2028 presidential bid, described the incident as part of a broader examination of the human impact of Israel’s occupation.
The event occurred near the Palestinian hamlet of Khirbet Zanuta, where Khanna’s group was touring sites affected by settler violence and destruction, including a village and school reportedly demolished by settlers. According to Khanna, settlers carrying M4 rifles surrounded their van, blocked the road, and called on the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), which he said sided with the settlers in the confrontation. An aide traveling with Khanna, Cameron Kasky, stated that the group was detained for over an hour and sought assistance from the US Embassy in Jerusalem before being released when police officers arrived on the scene.
The Israeli military confirmed that troops and police intervened after settlers blocked vehicles near Khirbet Zanuta. They said Israeli civilians were dispersed, allowing the vehicles to continue, but made no further comment on the detention itself. Israeli police and the US Embassy did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Khanna’s visit coincides with growing scrutiny within the US Democratic Party of Israeli policies toward Palestinians. Just days earlier in Tel Aviv, Democratic former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel expressed concern that Israeli policies were damaging the US-Israeli relationship. Khanna said the trip had strengthened his resolve to consider a presidential run.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has become a divisive issue in US politics, particularly among Democrats. Support for Israel among Democrats has declined sharply in recent years, dropping from 59% in 2018 to 22% in May, according to polling data. Some progressive Democrats have pushed to cut US military aid to Israel, which currently amounts to about $3.8 billion annually, including funding for weaponry such as M4 rifles and missile defense systems.
During his visit, Khanna highlighted the plight of Palestinians in areas like the West Bank, home to about three million Palestinians and roughly 500,000 Israeli settlers. He characterized the situation in Gaza and the West Bank as a moral crisis involving allegations of genocide and apartheid—terms Israel firmly rejects. Israel maintains it is not committing genocide in Gaza nor implementing apartheid in the West Bank and contests the interpretation of the territory as occupied under international law. Most countries and the United Nations consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal, referencing the Fourth Geneva Convention, but Israel argues the land is disputed and has historic Jewish ties spanning millennia.
Palestinians envision the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem as part of a future independent state. While Republican support for Israel remains strong overall, some factions within former President Donald Trump’s coalition have also called for reevaluating aid.
Khanna’s visit, focused exclusively on Palestinian-led engagements in the West Bank, underscored growing calls within US politics for a reassessment of policies regarding Israel and Palestine amid intensifying conflict and human rights concerns.