He insisted that security footage would confirm the involvement of military personnel in blocking American citizens.
"Security cameras can see that they were involved in the detention of American citizens. How dare they mistreat people with an American passport that way?"
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Ambassador's Response
Ambassador Leiter alleged that the timing of the release of the incident was intended to divert attention from political difficulties.
"To have this incident on Wednesday and wait to release it on Saturday, maybe this had more something to do with his support of Graham Platner beforehand and the difficulties he had with that, and trying to shift the focus to something else," Leiter accused.
Leiter also criticized Khanna's choice to coordinate with local activist groups rather than official channels.
"It's kind of interesting that somebody wants to declare a presidential run by running off to Israel," he said.
Anonymous Israeli officials claimed Khanna rejected planned meetings and sought media attention instead.
"Congressman Khanna didn't come to understand the situation – he came looking for a headline," they stated.
Khanna dismissed these statements on social media, emphasizing his past meetings with hostages.
"The Israeli government is lying to cover up for 4 IDF soldiers who aided violent settlers," he posted.
Human rights director Nadav Weiman, who was present during the encounter, corroborated Khanna's description.
"Armed settlers were the first to arrive, and then, as has become the norm, Israeli soldiers joined them.
Together they detained the delegation for over an hour. The IDF is lying and not for the first time," Weiman wrote.
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Congressional aide Cameron Kasky also documented the confrontation online, highlighting his personal motivations for focusing on regional human rights issues.
