Democratic Representative Ro Khanna said he was detained by Israeli soldiers and West Bank settlers on July 9 while on a three‑day tour of the occupied West Bank, and was released after the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem and Israeli police intervened. The incident took place in the village of Khirbet Zanuta, where masked men with firearms stopped Khanna’s group and prevented it from leaving. A New York Times photographer witnessed the confrontation. Khanna said that when Israeli troops arrived, they observed settlers interacting with his party while blocking the exit. He noted that only after the U.S. Embassy and Israeli police were contacted were the group allowed to continue. In a fundraising email sent after the event, Khanna wrote that the episode illustrated the challenges faced by Palestinians without security or a national platform. He is exploring a presidential campaign for 2028. The Israeli Defense Forces said it received a report that Israeli citizens were blocking foreign nationals and media in Khirbet Zanuta. Upon receiving the report, troops were dispatched, dispersed the civilians and reopened the road. The military stated its soldiers did not take part in blocking the road. Democratic criticism of Israel has increased since the Gaza war, with a recent Associated Press‑NORC poll indicating that 58% of Democrats believe the United States is “too supportive” of Israel. Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, a possible White House contender, delivered a speech in Tel Aviv in which he described Israel as a “territorial pariah.” The Israeli military also reported detaining four suspects who blocked a vehicle of foreign journalists in Sinjil, damaging the vehicle and wielding clubs and knives; the journalists were covering the one‑year anniversary of the death of a Palestinian‑American man killed by settlers. Settlement construction and related violence have risen in the West Bank in recent years. Israeli officials describe such incidents as isolated, while the international community regards settlements as illegal. The Netanyahu government maintains the West Bank is disputed territory whose final status is subject to negotiations, and several cabinet ministers have pushed for formal annexation. The episode highlights diplomatic friction between the United States and Israel and raises questions about the safety of foreign visitors in the West Bank.