Indian American Congressman Ro Khanna reported being detained by Israeli settlers for over an hour during a recent visit to the West Bank, highlighting concerns over settler violence in the region.
Indian American Congressman Ro Khanna has revealed that he was detained for more than an hour by Israeli settlers during a visit to the occupied West Bank. This incident has drawn renewed attention to the escalating concerns regarding settler violence in the Palestinian territory.
According to Khanna, the confrontation occurred while he was traveling through the West Bank, where Israeli settlers allegedly obstructed his movement for over an hour. During the standoff, members of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) engaged with the settlers and opted to move a vehicle to block the road instead of clearing the passage immediately.
The incident was first reported by The New York Times, and a spokesperson for Khanna later confirmed the details to CBS News. Notably, a photojournalist from The New York Times was present and witnessed the encounter.
Khanna is among several U.S. lawmakers who have visited the West Bank since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, which followed Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. These visits come amid ongoing efforts by Washington to balance its support for Israel with increasing international concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza and rising tensions in the occupied territories.
In recent months, lawmakers from both political parties have toured the region. House Speaker Mike Johnson visited the West Bank in September 2025, where he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Democratic Senators Chris Van Hollen and Jeff Merkley also traveled through the territory in August 2025.
Khanna’s account follows another significant incident involving foreign officials. In May 2025, Israeli troops fired warning shots near a diplomatic delegation visiting the West Bank, which included representatives from the European Union, Japan, and Russia. The Israeli military later stated that the delegation had strayed from an approved route and entered a restricted area.
The West Bank has experienced a notable increase in violence since the onset of the Gaza war. The United Nations reported in May that over 1,000 Palestinians had been killed in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since October 2023. Human rights organizations and local residents have documented a rise in attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian communities, with some families claiming that the violence has forced them to abandon their homes and farmland.
Data from the Israeli human rights organization Yesh Din indicates that accountability for such violence remains limited. The group reported that, from 2,427 complaints alleging abuse by Israeli soldiers between 2016 and 2024, fewer than one percent resulted in indictments.
Currently, more than 700,000 Israeli settlers reside in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, territories captured by Israel from Jordan during the 1967 Six-Day War, which Palestinians claim as part of a future independent state. Rights groups estimate that approximately 15 percent of these settlers are American citizens.
The international community has consistently maintained that Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank violate international law, a stance that Israel rejects. In recent months, pressure on the Israeli government has intensified, with five long-time U.S. allies imposing sanctions on two senior Israeli officials accused of inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized these sanctions and called for their withdrawal.
This incident involving Congressman Khanna underscores the ongoing complexities and tensions in the region, as well as the challenges faced by international observers and lawmakers seeking to engage with the situation on the ground.
According to The New York Times, the incident has sparked further discussions about the safety and rights of individuals in the West Bank amidst the ongoing conflict.