Rep. Ro Khanna's recent visit to Israel included a declined invitation to meet with former Israeli hostages and survivors of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, according to a source familiar with the planning. The California Democrat's staff reportedly initially stated the trip was private and that he would not be meeting with Israeli or Palestinian politicians.
On Monday of his visit, the Israelis offered a meeting with Oct. 7 survivors and former hostages, but Khanna's team did not accept, the source told The Post. A follow-up offer the next day also went unanswered. "Congressman Khanna didn’t come to understand the situation — he came looking for a headline," the source stated, adding that Israel had offered access to communities reflecting the situation's complexity.
Khanna's staff later clarified that the trip, which began on a Wednesday, was a "campaign trip" and would be funded with campaign money. A spokesperson for Khanna confirmed that staff had alerted House leadership, and the American and Israeli embassies in advance, and were authorized to use campaign funds.
During the trip, Khanna posted on X about an incident in the West Bank where he claimed to have been detained by armed Israeli settlers carrying M4 rifles. He stated that Israeli Defense Forces subsequently blocked the road, and he only proceeded after contacting the U.S. embassy and Israeli police. "They made a huge mistake. You will be hearing more soon," Khanna posted.
Another source familiar with Khanna's trip preparations suggested the congressman was attempting to "ride the anti-Israel wave" within his party and had repeatedly turned down Israeli efforts to help coordinate his visit to the West Bank. The report noted Khanna's shift from previously supporting Israel to becoming a sharp critic, and mentioned his association with figures whose remarks have been called antisemitic. The source also pointed to Khanna's endorsement of a Maine Senate candidate who had reportedly dropped out of the race following a rape allegation and was seen with a Nazi tattoo.
The Oct. 7 Hamas attack resulted in over 1,200 Israeli deaths and the abduction of 250 individuals, some of whom were held for as long as 843 days. The Israelis had also offered Khanna opportunities to meet with Druze communities in the Golan Heights, representatives from Israeli border communities, and to attend a briefing on aid to Gaza, all of which the source claims he did not pursue. A spokesperson for Khanna did not respond to questions about the meeting with hostages or survivors, but did acknowledge the intervention of Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem David Brownstein in the West Bank incident, stating it "saved lives."