In a new account of his detention in Judea and Samaria, US Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA) said armed settlers held him for over an hour, described them as 'hoodlums', and accused the IDF of siding with the settlers rather than his delegation. He said his group left after contacting the US Embassy and local police.
In a new account of his detention in Judea and Samaria, US Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA) directly accused armed settlers of being 'hoodlums' and said IDF soldiers who arrived at the scene sided with the settlers rather than his delegation. The incident, which occurred during a tour of a village destroyed by settler activity, saw individuals with American-made M4 rifles block Khanna and his aide Cameron Kasky for over an hour. The congressman said his group left after contacting the US Embassy in Jerusalem and local police. The new details, published Saturday evening, add a personal accusation to an event first reported hours earlier.
The Zioneer first reported on the incident at 16:16 Jerusalem, based on a Ynet account of an unidentified US Congressman detained by settlers with American weapons. At 17:16 Jerusalem, video footage was released corroborating Khanna's account, and at 17:23 Jerusalem, a Reuters report confirmed the congressman's identification and his description of the incident as an 'unfiltered look at the human cost of the occupation.' The thread has evolved from a single-source unverified report to corroborated eyewitness testimony and now a direct statement from the congressman.
As The Zioneer reported on Friday, June 26, a Times of Israel report documented a pattern in which IDF troops either stand by or actively participate as settlers assault, harass, and loot Palestinians in the West Bank. This background may inform the congressman's accusation, though the IDF has not responded to this specific incident. Other related coverage includes the detention of an American student and settler attempts to cross into Syria.
What remains open: The IDF has not issued a public response to the allegation that its soldiers sided with the settlers. The account is based on Khanna's own statement and corroborated footage, but the military's version of events has not been released.
5 developments
- ConfirmedIDF detains settler activists after overnight attempt to cross into Syria at Mount Hermon
- DevelopingDetainees reportedly claim abuse from settlers during detention
- DevelopingDetention extended for two Samaria farmers after they retrieved stolen flock; lawyers say case weak
- DevelopingTimes of Israel report: IDF soldiers accused of aiding settler violence in West Bank
Source and signal
- Internal intake