A Democratic California politician says he was detained by armed, masked settlers and the Israeli military during a tour of the West Bank.

Rep Ro Khanna, a Silicon Valley congressman, said the scene unfolded Wednesday during a three-day tour of the ruins of the small Palestinian village of Khirbet Zanuta in the occupied West Bank. 

He said that he and the other Americans in his group were only released after calls were made to the US Embassy in Jerusalem. 

However, Republican lawmakers have blasted as an attention-seeking stunt. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) also denied detaining any visitors.

While passing through the area, since left abandoned after settler attacks, Khanna said his group was stopped by masked men armed with what he described as 'American-made M4s' who refused to let them leave. 

The confrontation was also witnessed by one of the photographers accompanying the group, according to The New York Times. 

Khanna said he was disappointed to see Israeli soldiers interact in a friendly manner with the settlers after arriving at the scene, while also blocking his group from moving forward. 

'If this can happen to an American member of Congress, imagine what life is like for Palestinians who have no smartphones, no security and no national platform,' Khanna said in a fundraising email shortly after the incident.

The IDF released its own statement saying it received a report of Israeli citizens blocking foreign nationals and members of the media in the deserted town. 

'Upon receiving the report, IDF troops were dispatched to the scene, quickly dispersed the Israeli civilians and reopened the blocked road,' the military said. 'The IDF soldiers operating in the area did not take part in blocking the road.'

Khanna's claims drew heavy criticism from Republican lawmakers, who accused him of staging a 'publicity stunt.' 

Rep Greg Murphy of North Carolina blasted Khanna in a post on X, writing: 'Sounds like another plea for publicity. Anything to get in front of the camera. Why else would you be there? It isn’t your country.'

Chief Strategist for the Middle East Forum Jim Hanson also described the Democrat's claims as a 'performative outrage stunt.'

'You purposely had your tour bus try to enter a zone restricted for civilians. Local security stopped you and the IDF verified you were not authorized to enter,' Hanson wrote in his own response.

'You were not "detained," you were properly refused entry and your agit prop failed,' he added. 'Now you and the NYT are trying to create an incident out of this nothing falafel.'

Hanson also said Israel was done 'coddling the terrorists it has been forced to live side by side with' for more than 70 years and accused Khanna of 'peddling lies.'

'The lies you have been peddling about the invented "Gaza Genocide" and legitimate IDF military actions against terrorists do not change the facts on the ground,' he wrote.

'Israel has offered peace dozens of times, the Palestinians have offered death and destruction in return. Now they are reaping what they have sown.'

Settlement construction and settler violence against Palestinians have increased in the West Bank in recent years. 

While Israeli officials have condemned some of the most serious incidents, they have often characterized them as isolated cases, and perpetrators are rarely held accountable. 

The international community overwhelmingly considers the settlements illegal.

Democratic politicians in the United States have only intensified their criticism of Israel as voters have increasingly turned against the country since the war in Gaza began. 

A recent survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about 58 percent of Democrats believe the nation is 'too supportive' of Israel. 

The latest clash highlighting escalating political tensions between Israel and members of the Democratic Party came to light just before 9.30am Saturday, when Khanna made his claims public in a post on X. 

'Israeli settlers, brandishing American made M4s, detained me and other Americans on my trip to Palestine,' the congressman wrote.

'When the IDF arrived, they sided with the settlers and continued our detention,' he added. 'They made a huge mistake.'

A photo and short video clip were attached to his post, showing the moment Khanna said vehicles were stopped, preventing him and his delegation from moving. Weapons can be seen in the hands of at least two men. 

The following day, The New York Times published an article detailing Khanna’s account of the incident, which he described as the most frightening part of his three-day trip organized by a staff member. 

'I felt powerless in that situation, which is not an easy thing, as I have a lot of privilege in life,' he told the outlet.

'Imagine how people feel every day, Palestinians under the occupation, if they could make an American congressperson feel powerless for 90 minutes.'

Khanna, who has been weighing a 2028 presidential bid, said he visited several Palestinian towns and met with local families and business owners as part of the tour.

He told the outlet that mayors from several Palestinian areas, including Bethlehem, Beit Sahour and Beit Jala, shared accounts of life under restrictions affecting their movement and access to water. 

A video recorded by his team reportedly captured the leaders telling Khanna that they had never met a member of Congress and would welcome his colleagues, according to the NYT.

But on Saturday, Khanna claimed that a visit to the tiny Palestinian Bedouin village took a horrifying turn when a car carrying armed men suddenly pulled up and blocked the narrow road out. 

He told the outlet that the men allegedly hurled Hebrew and Arabic insults at the congressman and his team before kicking the tires of their minibus - moments reportedly caught on camera by Khanna, an aide and his security guard. 

A New York Times photographer traveling in a separate vehicle said they were also present during the interaction. 

Shortly afterward, a Jeep carrying more men arrived, followed by two Israeli military vehicles.

Khanna said he initially believed the soldiers had arrived to deescalate the situation and help his group pass, but claimed they instead lit cigarettes and sparked conversation with the men blocking the road. 

He claimed that after the settlers left, IDF soldiers moved a vehicle to block the road themselves. 

The Israeli military pushed back against Khanna’s account, saying its soldiers had no role in blocking the exit and instead opened the road after troops were dispatched to the scene. 

The spokesperson also said that the identity of the armed civilian was in the process of being reviewed.

Khanna said his time in the southern West Bank left a lasting impact on his politics and could shape a potential White House bid, according to the NYT. He added that Palestinian rights would be a major focus of his campaign. 

His trip marked his third visit to the region, including a trip in October 2024 as part of a bipartisan delegation that met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Jordan’s King Abdullah II. 

He told the outlet that although he supports Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state, he has become increasingly known for his criticism of the country, including accusing it of genocide and backing calls to halt US support. 

The congressman said what he witnessed in the West Bank convinced him that simply replacing Israel’s leaders would not solve the deeper problems.

'One of the things it’s made me realize is how hard a two-state solution is going be in practice, that it’s going require the removal of a lot of violent settlers,' Khanna told the NYT. 'The on-the-ground reality is so much more brutal and hard and difficult.'

Khanna, an Indian American who grew up in Pennsylvania, said he had never felt more conscious of his race than during the trip. 

'In Palestine, I felt first as someone who was brown,' he told the outlet. We really saw the apartheidlike conditions, the inequality. No American would support this if they knew the details of what was going on here.'

He also left a message to the Israeli government: 'Free advice to the Israelis: It’s not a good idea to detain long-shot presidential candidates. Not how you’re going to build good will with the next American president, whoever that is.'

Israel’s government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced backlash from Palestinians and human rights groups over accelerated settlement expansion, which they say is aimed at preventing the establishment of a future Palestinian state. 

Israel considers the West Bank disputed territory and maintains that its future status must be resolved through negotiations. Several senior Cabinet ministers have advocated for formally annexing the territory.