Overview
- Rep. Ro Khanna said a Wednesday visit to Khirbet Zanuta in the southern West Bank ended when armed settlers blocked his convoy and he was held from leaving until Israeli forces arrived.
- The Israel Defense Forces told reporters that troops dispersed the Israeli civilians, reopened the road, and let the vehicles continue, while Israeli police said officers saw no violence and warned the tour leader for entering a closed military zone.
- Khanna posted video and a caption saying he and other Americans were detained and that the IDF sided with settlers, and his social‑media post drew about 10 million views.
- Nadav Weiman released bodycam footage he said showed the detention, but multiple reviewers and coverage of the clip found it does not clearly show settlers or soldiers physically detaining Khanna or his group.
- The episode has prompted diplomatic criticism over Khanna’s lack of trip coordination, renewed attention to settler intimidation and low prosecution rates in the West Bank, and the risk that viral posts will escalate tensions between U.S. and Israeli officials.