Ro Khanna, IDF offer step-by-step war of words on West Bank clash

A dispute has emerged between U.S. Congressman Ro Khanna and Israeli officials regarding an incident in the West Bank. Khanna claimed on X that "Israeli settlers, brandishing American-made M4s" detained him and other Americans, and that the IDF sided with the settlers. Israeli authorities, including the IDF and Israel Police, contradicted this account, stating that soldiers responded to reports of foreign nationals in what was believed to be a closed military zone and that "there was no physical confrontation or violence between those involved." The IDF later confirmed the location was not a closed military zone. Khanna's office maintains that armed "extremist settlers" blocked their convoy for approximately an hour while soldiers observed, and that the military's timeline is "demonstrably false." Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter accused Khanna of a "cheap, anticipated provocation," claiming Khanna declined to coordinate his visit with Israeli authorities. Both sides agree no physical violence occurred.