JERUSALEM (VINnews) — A group of 13 Israeli settler activists illegally crossed the border into Syrian territory on Thursday in two separate incidents, attempting to establish a new settlement, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed.
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The activists, who identify as the “Bashan Pioneers” — a reference to the biblical name for the Golan Heights and parts of southern Syria — entered Syria near the Druze village of Bir Ajam and in the southern Golan Heights and in the Mount Hermon area.
Eight activists crossed near Bir Ajam, while five entered Syrian territory near Mount Hermon.
IDF troops quickly pursued the individuals at both locations. The military said some of the activists physically clashed with soldiers during the operation but all 13 were located, safely extracted, and escorted back into Israeli territory. They were subsequently handed over to Israel Police for investigation.
“The IDF strongly condemns the incident and emphasizes that it is a grave incident constituting a criminal offense that endangers both civilians and IDF soldiers,” the army said in a statement.
The same activist group carried out a similar border breaches in August, when members briefly entered Syria before being evacuated by IDF forces.
Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed the territory in 1981, a move not recognized by most of the international community. Tensions along the Israel-Syria border have risen in recent years following the collapse of the Assad regime and the subsequent fragmentation of control in southern Syria.
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