Rep. Ro Khanna said Israeli settlers carrying American-made M4 rifles detained him and other Americans during a visit to the West Bank.
In a Saturday post on X, Khanna said when Israeli Defense Forces arrived, “they sided with the settlers” and continued the detention, calling it “a huge mistake.”
The incident occurred on Wednesday near the village of Khirbet Zanuta. Khanna’s team had appealed to the US Embassy in Jerusalem before police intervened.
Eyewitness Disputes IDF’s Version
On Saturday, Nadav Weiman, an expert on settler violence who accompanied the delegation as an eyewitness, wrote on X that armed settlers arrived first, with soldiers joining them soon after, holding the group for over an hour. He said the IDF’s account was false.
I was there with Rep. Khanna as an expert on settler violence.
— נדב וימן Nadav Weiman (@weimanadav) July 11, 2026
Armed settlers were the first to arrive, and then, as has become the norm, Israeli soldiers joined them. Together they detained the delegation for over an hour
The IDF is lying and not for the first time. https://t.co/Kfkib9Y0eI
The IDF’s account conflicts with both versions of events. In a statement to the BBC, the IDF said troops responded to reports of blocked vehicles near Khirbet Zanuta on Wednesday and “dispersed the Israeli civilians,” allowing the delegation to proceed.
IDF did not immediately respond to Benzinga‘s request for comment.
Republican Colleague Pushes Back, Khanna Fires Back
Rep. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.) dismissed the account on X, calling it “another plea for publicity” and questioning why Khanna was there at all, writing, “It isn’t your country.”
“How about being on Team America Greg,” Khanna wrote, urging Murphy to instead press the US ambassador to Israel to demand consequences for the “IDF soldiers & violent settlers who threatened & detained American passport holders.”
How about being on Team America Greg and calling on @USAmbIsrael to demand that the IDF soldiers & violent settlers who threatened & detained American passport holders should face consequences. I would be calling for that if you had been in our shoes. https://t.co/AM57gKBcUJ
— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) July 11, 2026
Carlson Demands Ambassador’s Removal
Once a close ally of President Donald Trump, conservative commentator Tucker Carlson blasted the episode, arguing an American lawmaker had been threatened by armed foreign nationals backed by a military funded by US taxpayers. He said the US ambassador’s silence was “too much, too insulting and humiliating to America,” and called for Ambassador Mike Huckabee‘s removal.
An Amercian member of congress is threatened by foreign terrorists carrying American rifles, backed by a foreign military paid for by American taxpayers, and the US ambassador to that country says not a word in defense of his own countryman, and instead uses his social media… https://t.co/77oAr3PRgE
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) July 11, 2026
Khanna, seen as a potential 2028 presidential contender, was examining the area.
Photo Courtesy: Phil Pasquini on Shutterstock.com
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
