Lefty California Rep. Ro Khanna claimed he was detained by armed Israeli settlers during a visit to the West Bank this week while warning the Israeli military “they made a huge mistake”
The Silicon Valley Democrat, fiercely outspoken critic of Israel who is weighing a 2028 presidential run, told Reuters his group’s van was surrounded by settlers with rifles on Wednesday while touring a part of the southern West Bank.
“Israeli settlers, brandishing American made M4s, detained me & other Americans on my trip to Palestine,” he wrote in a post on X Saturday.
“When the IDF arrived, they sided with the settlers & continued our detention. They made a huge mistake. You will be hearing more soon,” he added, without elaborating.
One of Khanna’s aides said the group was held for more than an hour and reached out to the US Embassy in Jerusalem for help before eventually being released.
The Israeli military told Reuters that there was a report of settlers blocking vehicles near Khirbet Zanuta, a small Palestinian hamlet.
“Upon their arrival, the troops dispersed the Israeli civilians and allowed the vehicles to continue on their way,” the military said.
Khanna has has openly embraced an an anti-Israel tone, co-sponsoring a resolution to label Israel’s military actions in Gaza a “genocide.”
“One of the reasons we lost [the 2024 presidential election] is our blank check to Israel and Netanyahu while they committed genocide in Gaza,” he said.
While he’s said he believes in “the right for Israel to exist… what I don’t believe is if it means Greater Israel,” said Khanna, adding that he supports a two-state solution.
Khanna’s visit to the Middle East comes as the issue of Israel’s conflict with Palestine plays a make-or-break role in progressive politics. Many on the far-left in California have viewed support for Palestine as a crucial litmus test.
Two weeks ago, progressive Bay Area congressional candidate Scott Wiener, who is vying to replace Speaker Nancy Pelosi in Congress, was confronted by pro-Palestinian agitators in separate incidents just days apart.
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