Rep. Ro Khanna questioned by Jeremy Scahill over his refusal to endorse Hamas's October 7 attacks against Israel.
California Representative Ro Khanna was criticized by activists after refusing during an interview with Drop Site News to endorse the legitimacy of Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel. During the questioning, the reporter, Jeremy Scahill, pressed Rep. Ro Khanna on whether Palestinians had a right to attack Israeli military personnel. Rep. Ro Khanna repeatedly stated that the assault constituted a "terrorist attack" and declined to justify any violence perpetrated by Hamas. While rejecting Hamas's actions, Rep. Ro Khanna maintained his criticism of Israel’s military conduct in Gaza, accusing the nation of committing genocide. The discussion highlighted deep political divisions regarding Israel’s actions. This interview followed a recent visit by Rep. Ro Khanna to the West Bank, where his account of being detained was disputed by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. The exchange underscores a growing debate over U.S. policy toward Israel among certain political factions.