JERUSALEM / Said Amouri / Anadolu

US Congressman Ro Khanna said on Saturday that armed Israeli settlers intercepted him and his companions, detaining them for over an hour during his visit to the West Bank two days ago, verbally abusing them and damaging their vehicle.

This came according to what the private Israeli Channel 12 reported from Ro Khanna, who is known for his criticism of Israeli settlement policies.

Speaking about the details of the assault that took place during a visit to the West Bank last Thursday to see a true picture of the repercussions of the Israeli occupation on human life, Ro Khanna said he was 'detained for more than an hour in the Hebron area' in the southern West Bank after settlers blocked his path and prevented him from continuing his tour.

He noted that he and his companions were subjected to 'verbal attacks,' pointing out that Israeli forces did not intervene sufficiently to prevent the assaults.

He added: 'They were carrying American weapons, detained me, and damaged my car.'

According to Channel 12, the settlers were armed with American-made M4 rifles, cursed Ro Khanna, and kicked the tires of his vehicle.

For its part, the Israeli army claimed that its forces dispersed the settlers and allowed the vehicles to continue on their way, according to Channel 12.

Ro Khanna is a Democratic member of the US House of Representatives for California and is considered one of the prominent progressive voices in Congress, known for his criticism of Israel's settlement and expansionist policies in the occupied West Bank.

In January, Ro Khanna, along with Democratic Senator Peter Welch, led an effort in which 74 members of Congress participated, demanding that the US administration take a stronger stance against Israel's attempts to annex the West Bank.

Ro Khanna is also mentioned among potential candidates for the 2028 US presidential election, while he said in April that he would consider running after the midterm elections scheduled for November 2026.

In another development on Saturday, Israeli police reported, according to the same channel, that settlers attacked a press team from the American CNN network in the village of Sinjil, north of Ramallah, in the central occupied West Bank.

It added that the settlers surrounded the press team's vehicle and damaged it, including puncturing its tires.

Police said their forces arrived at the scene and stopped 4 suspected settlers, finding a knife and a club in their possession.

These developments come amid a rise in settler attacks on Palestinians, their property, and agricultural lands in various parts of the occupied West Bank.

According to a semi-annual report by the Palestinian Authority's Commission of Resistance to the Wall and Settlements, settlers carried out 3,488 attacks during the first half of 2026, including attacks on Palestinian communities, burning homes and vehicles, shooting at Palestinians, seizing land, and establishing settlement outposts.

From October 8, 2023, to June 29 of this year, attacks by the Israeli army and settlers in the occupied West Bank resulted in the killing of 1,179 Palestinians, the injury of about 13,000, and the arrest of about 24,000, according to data from the Palestinian Government Media Center.