Abuse of power & retaliation
Rep. Ro Khanna says armed Israeli settlers detained his delegation in the West Bank; IDF offers a conflicting account
Confidence: Corroborated · 4 sourcesState of Palestine · Sep 21, 2026
Subject of this story
Israel Defense Forces (IDF)
Also named
Affected
Ro Khanna, U.S. Representative, California's 17th Congressional District
What happened
Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna said his delegation's van was surrounded and held for over an hour by Israeli settlers carrying U.S.-made M4 rifles near Khirbet Zanuta in the West Bank, with the group appealing to the U.S. Embassy for help before officers intervened. An Israeli security source told Haaretz that Khanna had not coordinated the trip in advance and so was not provided security; the Israeli military separately said its forces responded to a report of settlers blocking foreign nationals' vehicles and dispersed the civilians, while an activist witness disputed that version, saying armed settlers arrived first and soldiers only joined afterward.
Sources (4)
HaaretzOriginal established-outlet report including both Khanna's account and the Israeli security source's response.
NBC NewsIndependent confirmation of Khanna's account and the IDF's conflicting version.
Fox NewsIndependent confirmation from a separate established outlet.
The Jerusalem PostIndependent confirmation, Israel-based established outlet.
Response
Israel Defense Forces (IDF)
Statement given
Contacted and responded — exact wording not on record.
What happened next (0)
No outcome recorded yet.