Rep. Ro Khanna says he was detained at gunpoint by Israeli settlers and the IDF during a West Bank trip, then attacked by US media and politicians when he got home — a story he frames as bad for the US-Israel relationship and for anyone who wants Congress to see the occupation firsthand.

• Khanna says he had a proper visa and gave both the Israeli embassy and the US State Department a heads-up, contradicting Ambassador Mike Huckabee's claim that he snuck in without permission.
• He describes settlers blocking his van's only exit road and brandishing an American-made rifle, with the IDF then holding the group for over an hour instead of freeing them.
• He argues Israel and Huckabee sided with the settlers to stop other members of Congress from taking similar trips and turning against Israel aid.
• The incident helped flip some usually pro-Israel votes — reportedly including Nancy Pelosi — toward cutting aid, though a large majority of Congress still backed funding.
• Khanna blames donor and super PAC money for that support, pointing to millions spent against critics like Thomas Massie, and calls for overturning Citizens United.

Outlook: Khanna wants more lawmakers to visit the West Bank themselves, and expects the fight over conditioning Israel aid to keep growing as public opinion, especially among younger voters, turns.