Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) directly accused the Israeli Defense Forces of lying on Sunday about a tense encounter in the West Bank that left him and his team detained by armed Israeli settlers. Appearing on NBC News's Meet the Press, Khanna described a harrowing 20-minute ordeal that he says the IDF has misrepresented.
According to Khanna, the incident occurred Wednesday when his delegation traveled to a small Palestinian village in the southern West Bank. Armed men blocked the road, swearing at the group, kicking the minibus, and brandishing M4 rifles. Four IDF soldiers eventually arrived but, Khanna alleged, sided with the settlers. It took a call to the U.S. embassy and intervention from a high-level Israeli official before they were allowed to pass, roughly 75 minutes after the initial call for help.
The IDF released a statement claiming soldiers arrived quickly and “dispersed the Israeli civilians, and reopened the blocked road,” adding that troops “did not take part in blocking the road.” Khanna flatly rejected that account. “The IDF is lying,” he said. “What happened was unprecedented. They had violent settlers detain American citizens, including an American government official.”
The congressman, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, called for a formal investigation into the four IDF officers involved and into the settlers, whom he linked to Yinon Levi, a figure known for attacks on Palestinian communities. “How dare they mistreat people with an American passport that way?” Khanna asked.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who appeared earlier on the same program, defended Israel as a “country of laws” but acknowledged a small number of “vigilante” settlers—whom he described as “150 juvenile delinquents” among a largely law-abiding community. Netanyahu insisted Israel applies “the full measure of the law” against those who break it.
Khanna, a vocal critic of Israeli policy and accuser of genocide in Gaza, told The New York Times that detaining “long-shot presidential candidates” was unwise and that the experience would shape any future White House run. The Hill sought comment from the IDF but did not receive an immediate response.
This incident comes amid broader tensions over Israeli settlement activity and U.S. political divisions on the issue. For more on political conflicts and accountability, see Schumer's accusation of a power grab after recent firings. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court's ruling on women's sports highlights ongoing legal battles over rights. And as postal rates rise, USPS stamps hit 82 cents in the latest hike.
