Rep. Ro Khanna reported that Israeli settlers carrying American-made M4 rifles detained him and other Americans during a visit to the West Bank. The incident occurred on Wednesday near the village of Khirbet Zanuta. Khanna stated that when Israeli Defense Forces arrived, they sided with the settlers and continued the detention, describing the event as a huge mistake. Khanna’s team had appealed to the US Embassy in Jerusalem before police intervened.

Conflicting Accounts of Incident

Nadav Weiman, an expert on settler violence who accompanied the delegation, disputed the IDF’s version of events. Weiman wrote on X that armed settlers arrived first, with soldiers joining them soon after. He stated the group was held for over an hour and claimed the IDF’s account was false.

In a statement to the BBC, the IDF said troops responded to reports of blocked vehicles near Khirbet Zanuta and dispersed the Israeli civilians, allowing the delegation to proceed. The IDF did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Political Reactions

Rep. Greg Murphy dismissed Khanna’s account on X, calling it a plea for publicity and questioning why Khanna was in the region. Khanna responded by urging Murphy to press the US ambassador to Israel to demand consequences for the IDF soldiers and violent settlers involved.

Conservative commentator Tucker Carlson criticized the episode, arguing an American lawmaker had been threatened by foreign nationals backed by a military funded by US taxpayers. Carlson called for the removal of US Ambassador Mike Huckabee, citing the ambassador’s silence as insulting to America.