US Congressman Ro Khanna reported that he and his delegation were detained by armed Israeli settlers during a visit to the occupied West Bank. The incident occurred in the Palestinian village of Khirbet Zanuta, where residents had previously been displaced by settler violence. Khanna described the event as a stark example of the daily hardships faced by Palestinians under occupation, saying the settlers surrounded their vehicle and called Israeli forces, who sided with the settlers.

Khanna’s aide Cameron Kasky said the group was held for over an hour before Israeli police intervened. The Israeli military confirmed that settlers had blocked the convoy and said troops and police later cleared the way for the Americans. Neither Israeli police nor the US Embassy in Jerusalem commented immediately. Khirbet Zanuta has become a symbol of escalating settler violence in the West Bank, documented by human rights groups.

Khanna’s trip comes amid growing debate within the Democratic Party over US policy toward Israel and the occupied territories. He said the experience strengthened his consideration of a 2028 presidential run and underscored the moral importance of supporting Palestinian human rights.