In brief
Ro Khanna, a 49‑year‑old congressman, said he was surrounded by armed Israeli settlers in the West Bank while touring Khirbet Zanuta. He claims the IDF later joined the settlers in detaining his van for 90 minutes before releasing them. Khanna’s account highlights tensions over Israeli settlement expansion, which houses 700,000 Jews amid about 3.3 million Palestinians. The incident underscores ongoing disputes over territorial claims and the fragile relationship between the US and Israel.
Ro Khanna, 49, told Reuters that his van was surrounded by Israeli settlers wielding M4 rifles during a fact‑finding visit to Khirbet Zanuta, a village in the occupied West Bank.
He said the settlers detained him and his team for 90 minutes before Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) arrived and “joined the settlers.” Khanna wrote on X that the IDF supported the settlers’ actions and continued the detention.
An Israeli military statement said troops and police moved after receiving a report that settlers had blocked vehicles in the area. The IDF later dispersed the settlers and allowed the van to continue.
During the visit Khanna observed ruins of a school and a bedrock village destroyed by settlers in the war‑torn region, underscoring the ongoing clash over settlements.
Israel has established around 160 settlements, home to 700,000 Jews, while Palestinian residents number about 3.3 million. These settlements are deemed illegal under international law and remain a core issue in the Israeli‑Palestinian conflict.
The incident was highlighted on the WorldVoice AR/VR platform, enabling viewers worldwide to virtually experience the constrained movements in a disputed zone, and illustrating the growing influence of US politicians in Middle East policy debates.
