JERUSALEM, Israel: U.S.Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, on Tuesday accused Rep.
Ro Khanna, D-Calif., of lying about consulting the American Embassy regarding his visit to the Biblical heartland of Israel.Khanna visited the West Bank last week when he said his group was aggressively detained by Israeli settlers.Critics slammed his tour as political showmanship to advance a potential presidential campaign.Huckabee took to X to reject the account of Khanna and his delegation, writing: "The left-wing activist who set up this stunt says ‘The embassy is involved.’ That is NOT TRUE.
We did NOT know a member of Congress was coming.We would have said don't go to restricted zone.
As FACTS come out, it's not helping the desired narrative.Not ‘held at gunpoint."’ MEET THE FAR-LEFT INSURGENTS WAGING WAR ON THE DEMOCRATIC ESTABLISHMENT IN 2026 MIDTERMSUS Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee speaks to Fox News Digital during an interview at the American embassy in Jerusalem, Israel.
(Yoav Dudkevitch/ TPS-IL)Speaking to Fox News Digital on Tuesday, the California lawmaker said that he was detained by Israeli settlers for seventy-five minutes on Wednesday while visiting the West Bank (also known by its Biblical names Judea and Samaria).Khanna claimed, "We had informed the Israeli embassy."When asked about Ambassador Huckabee’s X post asserting the embassy did not know about his visit, he said "That is just false.
He was misinformed."Khanna responded to Huckabee on X, stating "Ambassador, we have always had a relationship of mutual respect despite political differences.The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] has now clarified it was not a restricted zone and Israeli papers have confirmed this.
Deputy Chief of Mission David Brownstein in our embassy did a superb job in getting us out.We are safe because of him.
Please thank him.We obviously notified our Embassy and Israel's embassy about the trip given we were in constant touch with David."Khanna said the "violent settler...