Ro Khanna Demands Israel Prosecute People Who Allegedly Detained Him For Over An Hour In West Bank

Democratic California Rep. Ro Khanna demanded prosecution of the armed settlers and soldiers who allegedly detained him in the West Bank.

Settlers carrying American-made M4 rifles blocked Khanna’s van Wednesday, near a demolished Palestinian village, he told Kristen Welker on Sunday’s “Meet the Press.” The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) sided with the settlers when they arrived, Khanna said. His group was held for roughly 75 minutes before being released. The IDF rejects Khanna’s claims, according to The Associated Press.

“The IDF is lying. What happened was unprecedented,” Khanna said, recalling the incident.

“They had violent settlers detain American citizens, including an American government official. You had these settlers brandishing M4s, kicking the tires of our van, laughing at us, mocking at us, video taping us. We were detained for about 20 minutes, fearful of our lives,” he told Welker.

“Then the IDF comes, four soldiers. They tell our translator that they’re on the side of the settlers. They further detain us and block us in. We had to call the American Embassy,” Khanna added. “And 75 minutes after the detention by the IDF soldiers and by these settlers, we were let through.”

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Israeli citizens were “unlawfully blocking the vehicles of foreign nationals and members of the media,” an IDF spokesperson said, according to CBS News. “he identity of the armed individual is currently under review,” the IDF