US congressman says 'IDF is lying' about his detention by settlers and soldiers

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Guardian

Sun 12 Jul 2026 16.25 EDT
Last modified on Sun 12 Jul 2026 17.26 EDT


Ro Khanna accused the Israeli government and military of “lying” on Sunday about the US congressman’s detention by armed settlers and Israeli soldiers during a recent visit to the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Khanna – a California Democrat – had posted video evidence on social media of Israeli settlers and soldiers blocking the path of his convoy on Wednesday in the South Hebron hills, near the village of Zanuta, where Israelis have driven Palestinians from their homes in what Amnesty International calls a government-backed “ethnic cleansing campaign”.

During an interview with NBC News’ Meet the Press on Sunday, the California Democrat was asked about the Israeli military’s claim that its soldiers “quickly dispersed” the Israeli civilians and reopened the blocked road.

“The IDF is lying,” Khanna said, referring to the Israel Defense Forces. “What happened was unprecedented. They had violent settlers detain American citizens, including an American government official. You had these settlers brandishing M4 [rifles], kicking the tires of our van, laughing at us, mocking at us, videotaping us. “We were detained for about 20 minutes, fearful of our lives. 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.”

Khanna was also asked about comments by Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who appeared before him on Meet the Press and called the armed settlers who stopped the congressman’s vehicle as a small band of “juvenile delinquents”. Netanyahu maintained they are not part of what he called the “law-abiding” community of Israeli settlers.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/12/ro-khanna-israel-detention-reaction

[Whip-poor-will]

1. no

Our best friend would never do that

[wolfie001]

5. No sarcasm tag?

[Lonestarblue]

2. The domestic terrorism organization called the IDF lies about everything. Nothing new here.

Meanwhile the world stands by as the IDF and Israeli settlers murder Palestinians to steal their land. What are world leaders afraid of? Netanyahu is no better than Putin and the same levels of severe economic sanctions should be placed on Israel as on Russia. Both are rogue nations under megalomaniac leadership.

[LymphocyteLover]

6. They call themselves "the world's most moral army"

https://zeteo.com/p/most-moral-army-even-israeli-military

[democrank]

4. Netanyahu should be behind bars, not on Meet the Press.

He shouldn’t get one more dime of American taxpayers’ money. He and Trump are well-matched in the integrity/ethics department.

[sop]

7. Khanna was probably targeted for his position on military aid to Israel.

[nwduke]

8. Believing Netanyahu

Is like believing Trump!🥴 Useless!

[Intractable]

9. In defense of the IDF -- they're all lying, liars who always lie

All of them -- Trump, Putin, Netanyahu, settlers, Hamas, Iranians

These are foggy wars.

[Bayard]

10. I will believe Congressman Khanna

Israeli settlers are not law abiding--they are stealing land. The criminal, Netanyahu, sanctions it.