‘Calling for their arrest’: Dem lawmaker goes scorched earth after detention

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) is now calling for the “arrest and prosecution” of Israeli settlers he accused of detaining him earlier this week while traveling the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and accused the Israeli government of “lying” about him to “cover up” their involvement in the incident.

Khanna revealed earlier on Saturday that he had been detained by a group of Israeli settlers “brandishing American-made M4s,” and shared video of the incident on social media. He also claimed that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) “sided with the settlers” and “continued” his detention.

The incident drew scattered bipartisan criticism, though some – including prominent right-wing influencer Laura Loomer and Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC) – appeared to side with the Israeli government and condemn Khanna instead.

On Saturday evening, the conservative New York Post published a report claiming that during his trip to Israel and the West Bank, Khanna "blew off" an offer to meet with former Israeli hostages. While the Post did not disclose the identity of its source for the claim, Khanna suggested it had come from Israeli officials, whom he accused of lying.

“The Israeli government is lying to cover up for 4 IDF soldiers who aided violent settlers brandishing M4 guns and threatening American lives,” Khanna wrote Saturday night in a defiant social media post on X.

“I am calling for their arrest and prosecution. I have met with Israeli hostages and condemned the brutal, terrorist attacks of Oct 7. That does [not] excuse the IDF from detaining American citizens.”

The same day Khanna revealed he had been detained by Israeli settlers, a CNN crew and other journalists were also detained by settlers in the West Bank, which CNN described as an “attack.”

“The four settlers were wielding wooden and metal rods and stones. One settler brandished a knife and tried to puncture the tires of CNN’s vehicle,” CNN reported Saturday.

“The settlers then began to jump on the vehicle behind CNN’s – carrying another group of journalists – and smashed the windshield of that vehicle. Another group of settlers tried to block a separate exit route before chasing the journalists towards the town of Sinjil.”

More than 700,000 Israeli settlers illegally live in the West Bank, with instances of settler violence increasing over the past year. Approximately 1,732 incidents of settler violence “resulting in casualties or property damage” were documented in the 12-month period up to Oct. 31, 2025, according to a United Nations Human Rights Office report. Israeli settlers have also killed at least 15 Americans since 2003.