Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter on Tuesday morning attacked U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, who claimed he was detained by armed settlers while visiting a Palestinian village in the West Bank, accusing him of creating a “cheap media provocation.”
In a detailed post on X directed at Khanna, Leiter wrote: “Let's not lose our grip on the facts - instead of recriminations and accusations - just the facts,” and laid out his version of events.
Israeli ambassador Yechiel Leiter called out Rep. Ro Khanna's version of events
(Photos: Tasos Katopodis / Getty Images North America/ AFP, Meg Kinnard, File/AP )
According to Leiter, the congressman refused to coordinate his visit with the State of Israel, even though he said full coordination of his schedule had been offered to prevent misunderstandings. He also claimed that Khanna had not coordinated his visit with the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem.
Leiter added that the congressman chose to arrive accompanied by Palestinian activists, along with New York Times journalists who were waiting with cameras, as well as a person affiliated with J Street — which Leiter wrote “actively lobbies against the government of Israel on Capitol Hill.”
Rep. Ro Khanna's visit to Turmus Aya - and his attack on Israel
(Video: Reuters)
Leiter further wrote that Khanna and his entourage entered a closed military zone without authorization, without the military knowing in advance that they were coming. The vehicle they were traveling in was unfamiliar to the forces and therefore raised suspicion, he said, but once the congressman’s identity was confirmed, he was allowed to continue on his way.
“At no stage were the congressman or anyone in his group threatened by soldiers or armed civilians,” Leiter stressed.
Leiter accused Khanna of using the incident to accuse Israel of “genocide” and “apartheid” before the media. “The facts don't lie - this was a cheap, anticipated provocation, that could, and should have been avoided,” he said.
In response to Khanna calling him a “liar,” Leiter wrote: “Calling me a liar won’t change the facts,” and invited the congressman to meet at the Israeli Embassy in Washington for “ an in-depth conversation on his grievances regarding Israel.”
Khanna, meanwhile, continued to reject the ambassador’s version of events and again called him a “liar” in interviews and social media posts. In recent days, however, criticism of Khanna’s conduct has grown in the United States, including a report in the New York Post that covered the exchange of accusations between the sides.
Videos and comments were also posted on X showing a Fox News host confronting Khanna over his account of the incident, along with criticism from senior Democratic figures who questioned his conduct and the way he presented the episode.