Jerusalem, Israel — U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee publicly accused Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) on Tuesday of fabricating claims about consulting with the U.S. embassy concerning Khanna’s recent visit to Jerusalem. Khanna, who visited the West Bank last week, alleged that his group was roughly detained by Israeli settlers. Some critics dismissed the trip as a publicity stunt aimed at Khanna’s potential presidential aspirations.
Huckabee addressed Khanna’s claims on X, asserting, “The left-wing activists who orchestrated this say the embassy is involved, but that’s simply not the case. We had no advance notice of their arrival and would advise against entering restricted areas. Even when the truth surfaces, it won’t fit the narrative they want.” He reiterated that the situation was not one of being “held at gunpoint.”
Khanna mentioned in an interview that he was detained for approximately 75 minutes during his visit, asserting that he had informed the Israeli embassy about the trip. In response to Huckabee’s comments about the embassy’s awareness, he stated, “That’s just false; he’s got the wrong information.” Khanna also reached out to Huckabee, expressing his desire to maintain a respectful relationship despite their political differences and thanked an embassy official for facilitating their safe exit.
Khanna added that the settlers’ actions warranted legal action and pointed out that they were armed, creating an intimidating situation for his group. An Israeli analyst, Eitan Fischberger, posted a video to X disputing Khanna’s account, suggesting it was less severe than presented. In response, Khanna labeled Fischberger’s claims as “false” and maintained that when the IDF intervened, they sided with the settlers, exacerbating the situation.
Khanna explained that he had intended to partake in a Palestinian-led tour during this trip, stressing that American diplomats should not allow foreign authorities to detain U.S. citizens due to their political affiliations. Dan Diker, a director at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Diplomacy, suggested that Khanna’s visit seemed more like a pretext for political campaigning, especially as it lacked proper coordination with Israeli authorities.
The visit occurred after the tragic October 7 attack in which over 1,200 people, including several Americans, were killed by Hamas, further complicating Khanna’s position among his peers, with some Democrats criticizing his actions. Another Democrat, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), expressed dismay that Khanna chose not to engage with survivors or visit sites of the terrorist attacks but rather leveraged the trip for potential political gain.
In response, Khanna insisted that the nature of his journey was meant to promote Palestinian perspectives, citing prior visits to Israel. He denied that the trip was about political opportunism when pressed for a clarification on Gottheimer’s statements. Meanwhile, Israel’s ambassador to the U.S., Ekiel Leiter, criticized Khanna for not coordinating his visit despite being offered the chance, casting aspersions on his intent by connecting it to broader anti-Israel rhetoric.
Khanna then reaffirmed that he condemns Hamas’s terrorism but hesitated to characterize the group’s actions or charter as genocidal. His statements reflect a nuanced stance, acknowledging the complexities of the ongoing conflict. The IDF, for its part, stated that they were responding to a situation involving foreign nationals in a military area, insisting that their intervention did not escalate to violence.
Israeli officials highlighted the significance of prior coordination for visits to sensitive regions, asserting that Khanna’s lack of communication contributed to the incident that occurred. As discussions unfold concerning the broader implications of U.S. political dynamics surrounding Israeli-Palestinian relations, observers note the rising tensions as we approach future elections.
