Who is Congressman Ro Khanna? Democrat considering 2028 US presidential run says Israeli settlers detained him in West Bank. Here’s what happened
The California congressman claimed settlers carrying US-made M4 rifles blocked his vehicle for more than an hour before Israeli security personnel arrived. Here’s everything you need to know about Congressman Ro Khanna and his alleged detention.
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Who is Congressman Ro Khanna?
Ro Khanna is an Indian American politician serving as the US Representative for California’s 17th Congressional District. He is a member of the Democratic Party and has been representing Silicon Valley in Congress since January 2017.
Born on September 13, 1976, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Khanna graduated from Council Rock High School and received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago in 1998. He later received his Juris Doctor (JD) from Yale Law School in 2001.
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Before entering Congress, Khanna worked as a lawyer, professor and author. He also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Commerce from 2009-2011 and was a member of the California Workforce Development Board from 2012-2016.
Despite unsuccessful congressional runs in 2004 and 2014, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2016 and has won multiple re-election campaigns since then. Known for his advocacy of technology policy, economic reforms and progressive causes, Khanna has become one of the most prominent Indian-American voices in Washington.
Ro Khanna says he’s considering running for president in 2028
During the visit, Khanna also announced that he was seriously considering proposals for the 2028 US presidential election.
“I’m definitely considering it and after this trip I’m more determined to consider it,” he said.
Although no official campaign has been announced, Khanna’s name is increasingly being heard among Democrats who are seen as potential candidates for the White House after the current political cycle.
Has Congressman Ro Khanna been detained on the West Bank?
According to Ro Khanna, the incident occurred on Wednesday while he was visiting Khirbet Zanuta, a Palestinian hamlet in the occupied West Bank that has been subject to settler attacks and displacement.
Khanna said that his delegation went to inspect a village and school that were allegedly destroyed when armed Israeli settlers surrounded their vehicles and blocked the road.
“We were in a village that Israeli settlers had destroyed, they had destroyed the school, they had destroyed that village and we were just looking at it,” Khanna told Reuters.
He also claimed that the settlers were carrying American-made rifles.
“And these goons come with machine guns, an M4, an American-made machine gun, and they detain us. They block the road. Then they call the IDF, and the IDF is on their side, not the Americans’ side.” he said.
Khanna’s aide, Cameron Kasky, said the group was blocked for more than an hour and even contacted the US Embassy in Jerusalem before Israeli security personnel intervened.
What did Israel say about the incident?
The Israeli military acknowledged that it had received reports of Israeli civilians blocking vehicles near Khirbet Zanuta.
According to the military, soldiers and police officers dispersed the settlers and allowed the vehicles to continue on their way. However, there was no direct response to Khanna’s claim that security forces sided with the settlers during the conflict.
Israel has also consistently denied accusations that it is committing genocide in Gaza or operating a system of apartheid in the West Bank.
Why was Ro Khanna visiting the West Bank?
Khanna said he deliberately skipped official meetings of the Israeli government and instead chose a Palestinian-led route to better understand conditions in the occupied territories.
He said the visit gave him an “unfiltered understanding” of life under occupation and strengthened his political beliefs.
“If you are unwilling to speak out for the human rights of Palestinians, if you are unwilling to speak out against genocide in Gaza, against apartheid in the West Bank, then you are morally compromised,” he said.
His comments reflect a growing divide within the Democratic Party over continued U.S. military support for Israel.
While some lawmakers continue to support Washington’s long-standing alliance with Israel, others have called for conditions or restrictions on military aid, particularly on weapons provided during the Gaza conflict.
