MSNBC host Joe Scarborough questioned Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) about allegations that the congressman staged or exaggerated a recent incident in the West Bank, giving Khanna an opportunity to respond directly to critics who have accused him of seeking publicity.
Khanna appeared on Morning Joe days after claiming Israeli settlers and military personnel temporarily prevented him and his delegation from leaving a Palestinian village during a visit to the West Bank.
The incident has fueled debate online, with supporters describing it as evidence of conditions faced by Palestinians under Israeli control, while critics have argued Khanna was trespassing or intentionally provoking a confrontation.
Scarborough Raises Critics’ Allegations
During the interview, Scarborough acknowledged the backlash Khanna has received and asked whether there was any truth to claims that the episode was orchestrated.
“You’re being accused of trespassing, you’re being accused of doing this as a publicity stunt when in fact it seems to me, based on what I’ve seen, many of those claims against you are also lies,” Scarborough said.
The MSNBC host then asked the congressman directly:
“Were you trespassing? Did you deliberately go to a place you were not supposed to go to? Did you do this all as a publicity stunt?”
Khanna Denies Wrongdoing
Khanna rejected the accusations, saying his visit had been coordinated with both American and Israeli officials.
“No, Joe, I had the audacity to say that I wanted a Palestinian-led tour of the West Bank,” Khanna said.
The congressman explained that he had previously visited Israel three times and said his office informed both the Israeli Embassy and the American Embassy about the trip beforehand.
According to Khanna, he was traveling with other Americans, Israelis and Palestinians when they visited the village of Khirbet Zanuta, which he described as having been destroyed by extremist settlers.
Describes Being Prevented From Leaving
Khanna recounted that armed Israeli settlers blocked his group’s vehicle from leaving the village.
“They’re saying, well, we weren’t detained because they didn’t hold up a gun against our heads,” Khanna said. “Well, no, they didn’t hold up a gun against our heads, but they were walking around the van, kicking the tires and parked outside so we couldn’t leave.”
He said additional settlers arrived while Israeli military personnel were present and that multiple vehicles blocked their exit for roughly 90 minutes.
According to Khanna, the group was eventually able to leave after intervention from the American Embassy.
Khanna Criticizes Israeli Response
Rather than disputing the facts of the incident, Khanna said he believes Israeli officials should have acknowledged what occurred and investigated it.
“I would have just thought the Israeli ambassador or Israel would say, we’re sorry, there were these Americans that were detained, it shouldn’t have happened. We’re going to look at the incident,” he said.
“Instead, they have gone totally on the defensive.”
Khanna added that he hopes the attention to the incident will draw greater awareness to the experiences of Palestinians.
Video Shared Online
Following the encounter, Khanna posted video showing Israeli settlers gathered around his vehicle while his delegation attempted to depart the village.
According to the congressman, Israeli military vehicles also arrived during the incident before his group was ultimately permitted to leave.
Reflecting on the experience afterward, Khanna said the temporary detention gave him a glimpse into what Palestinians regularly endure.
“I felt powerless in that situation, which is not an easy thing, as I have a lot of privilege in life,” Khanna said. “Imagine how people feel every day, Palestinians under the occupation, if they could make an American congressperson feel powerless for 90 minutes.”
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