US Democratic Representative Ro Khanna stated that Israeli settlers carrying American-made rifles held his group during a visit to the West Bank this week. He described the trip as a direct view of the impact from what he termed Israeli occupation, while considering a possible presidential bid in 2028.

Khanna told Reuters on Thursday from a Palestinian village that settlers with M4 rifles surrounded their van the previous day during a tour of a southern West Bank area where locals often face attacks from settlers.

We visited a village that Israeli settlers had ruined, including the school, and we were simply observing the site, said Khanna, a progressive lawmaker from California serving in the House of Representatives.

Then these individuals arrived with machine guns, specifically M4 models made in America, and they held us in place. They blocked the road and contacted the IDF, which supported them rather than the Americans, Khanna added, referencing the Israeli military.

Cameron Kasky, an aide traveling with Khanna, reported that the group was detained over an hour and reached out to the US Embassy in Jerusalem for assistance. Officers who seemed to be from the police eventually stepped in and secured their release, according to Kasky.

The Israeli military indicated that troops and police responded to a report of settlers blocking vehicles near Khirbet Zanuta, a small Palestinian area whose residents were displaced after violent settler raids following the 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel.

Once on site, the forces moved the Israeli civilians aside and permitted the vehicles to proceed, the military stated. Israel's police offered no immediate comment, and neither did the US Embassy in Jerusalem.

Democrats Stay Split on Israeli Actions

Khanna becomes the second Democrat eyeing a White House run to visit the area this week. In Tel Aviv on Wednesday, Rahm Emanuel, former chief of staff to President Barack Obama, noted that Israeli policies toward Palestinians are weakening backing for the US-Israeli partnership.

When asked about a presidential run, Khanna replied that he is seriously weighing it and feels even more determined after this journey.

Israel's approach to Palestinians has become a key issue in Democratic circles ahead of November midterms, leading to primary losses for some sitting lawmakers challenged by progressives who faulted them for backing Israel's government.

Israel's favorability among Democrats dropped from 59 percent in 2018 to 22 percent in May, per Reuters/Ipsos data.

Although Israel has long held broad bipartisan US backing, more Democrats in Congress now push to end military aid, which totals 3.8 billion dollars yearly and covers items like M4 rifles and missile defenses used in conflicts with Iran.

Looking over a valley filled with settler sites near Turmus Ayya, home to many Palestinian American dual citizens, Khanna said his party's leaders seem unaware of how much of a moral challenge Palestine, Gaza, and Israel now represent.

He opted for a West Bank-only visit guided by Palestinians to gain a clear perspective on the territory captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War.

If you will not defend Palestinian human rights or oppose the actions in Gaza and the West Bank, then you fail a basic moral standard, Khanna said.

Israel denies claims of genocide in Gaza or apartheid in the West Bank, which holds roughly 3 million Palestinians and about 500,000 Jewish settlers.

Police Detain Settlers Over Assault on Foreign Media Team

Later that Saturday, Israel Police took four settlers into custody after an alleged attack on a foreign news crew near the West Bank village of Sinjil, according to Maariv.

The report indicated that the settlers stopped the crew's vehicle and caused damage, prompting IDF soldiers to arrive shortly after the alert.

Police found a knife and several clubs during a search of the suspects' vehicle and noted that the inquiry continues.

Most nations and the United Nations view Israeli settlements in the West Bank as unlawful under international rules, pointing to the Fourth Geneva Convention's ban on moving civilians into occupied land.

Israel disputes this view, describing the West Bank as contested territory with a long Jewish history. Palestinians see the West Bank, along with Gaza and East Jerusalem, as part of a future Palestinian state.

Backing stays firm among Republicans, though some in Trump's circle have also urged ending aid.

Jerusalem Post Staff and Maariv contributed to this report.