Congressman Detained by Armed Israeli Settlers and IDF in West Bank
"We were at Zenuda Village. It's a village that was destroyed by Yanan Levy and his group extremist settlers and we were looking at an elementary school that had been raised to the ground. When we were there, these violent settlers start to yell at us, curse us. They tell me and the other Americans and some of the Palestinians with us, 'Get into our van.' And we get into our van and we see 21, 22 year olds banishing M4s, kicking our tires, wiping our windows, taking video of us. This lasts about 20 25 minutes. The IDF comes about 20 minutes into it, and I said, 'Okay, finally, we're going to get through.' And the IDF shockingly sides with the settlers."
About this episode
Congressman Ro Khanna returned from the occupied West Bank where he was detained for 75 minutes by armed Israeli settlers and IDF soldiers, sparking an international incident with no apparent US government response. In an interview discussing the trip, Khanna revealed that body camera footage released the morning of the interview confirms IDF officers sided with the settlers who blocked his van with M4 rifles, forcing him to call senior US embassy officials to secure release. Prime Minister Netanyahu defended Israel's conduct, calling the settlers involved "juvenile delinquents," but Khanna countered that they are affiliated with Yanan Levy, who allegedly murdered a Palestinian on camera yet remains free. Khanna described personally experiencing racial apartheid for the first time in his life, being singled out at checkpoints while his white Jewish companions were ignored. He criticized Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for lying about accountability and condemned the lack of American government response to the detention of four US citizens. Beyond his own detention, Khanna emphasized he witnessed systematic apartheid against Palestinians, including water deprivation, extrajudicial killings of children, vandalized homes of Palestinian-American millionaires, and destroyed villages. He stated his purpose was to experience a Palestinian-led tour rather than the "curated" Israeli government visits he had done on three prior trips. Khanna suggested Israel is attempting to discourage American politicians from making similar trips and argued that if more Americans witnessed conditions on the ground, support for current policies would collapse. He noted he himself evolved on the issue only after seeing the situation firsthand.
Key takeaways
- Congressman Ro Khanna was detained for 75 minutes by armed Israeli settlers and IDF soldiers in the occupied West Bank, with body camera footage confirming IDF collaboration with the settlers.
- Prime Minister Netanyahu claimed the settlers were juvenile delinquents, but Khanna identified them as affiliated with Yanan Levy, who allegedly murdered a Palestinian on camera but remains free.
- The US administration including the president and vice president made no public statement after four American citizens including a congressman were detained by Israeli forces.
- Khanna described personally experiencing racial profiling and apartheid for the first time in his life, being singled out at Israeli checkpoints while white Jewish companions were ignored.
- Khanna witnessed systematic oppression including Palestinians receiving one-fourth the water of Israeli settlers, a 14-year-old Palestinian-American shot 21 times for throwing rocks, and destroyed villages and schools.
- Israeli government and advocacy groups are attempting to prevent American politicians from taking Palestinian-led tours of the West Bank, preferring curated Israeli government visits.
- Khanna stated he evolved on the genocide question only after witnessing conditions firsthand and believes more American exposure to ground reality would end support for current policies.