IDF troops on Thursday pursued and detained a group of far-right activists who breached the security fence and crossed from Israel into Syria at two locations on the northern frontier, the military said.
According to the IDF, members of the group known as Halutzei HaBashan (Pioneers of the Bashan) broke through the border barrier near the Hermon area and in the sector of the IDF’s 55th Brigade on the Golan Heights. Troops reached both sites and located the civilians after a short pursuit. Some of the activists confronted the forces before being taken back into Israel.
IDF chasing after Israelis who crossed the border into Syria
The IDF said the individuals were transferred to police for further investigation. The military condemned the incident, calling it a serious offense that endangered civilians and soldiers.
Halutzei HaBashan is a far-right movement that promotes Jewish settlement across the Bashan region, including areas that lie inside present-day Syria. The group has attempted several such border breaches in recent months.
Prof. Amos Azaria of Ariel in the northern West Bank, a supporter of the movement, told ynet that activists view the Bashan as historically part of the Land of Israel. He and dozens of others gathered in the summer in the Golan buffer zone for a cornerstone ceremony for what they called Neve HaBashan, a proposed community named after the ancient city of Neve in southern Syria.
During that summer gathering, seven young activists crossed several meters into Syrian territory, planted an Israeli flag and a sign, and were escorted back into Israel by soldiers. They were questioned by police and later released.