Key facts
- Israeli settlers illegally crossed the border into occupied Syrian territory near Majdal Shams.
- The settlers spent a full day in Syria before being apprehended by Israeli troops.
- The group, Halutzei HaBashan, advocates for Jewish settlements in southern Syria.
- Previous incursions by the group have occurred, including attempts to establish settlements.
- Israeli authorities have not imposed tangible legal consequences on the settlers.
A group of Israeli settlers illegally crossed into occupied Syrian territory near Majdal Shams and remained there for a full day before being apprehended by Israeli troops. This incident, reported by the Times of Israel, is the latest in a series of provocations by settler movements advocating for the establishment of Jewish settlements in southern Syria, an area they refer to as the Bashan region.
The settlers were handed over to Israeli police for questioning. The group, identified as Halutzei HaBashan (Pioneers of Bashan), has been actively campaigning for Israel to authorize Jewish settlements beyond the 1974 ceasefire line in the occupied Golan Heights. This movement, founded in April 2025, views southern Syria as part of the historic 'Land of Israel' and has engaged in multiple incursions into Syrian territory.
Previous documented attempts by Halutzei HaBashan include announcing the establishment of a settlement in the Quneitra countryside in August 2025, crossing into the Syrian village of Bir Ajam in November, and occupying a building in the village of Hader in April. Despite Israeli police warnings that crossing into Syria is a criminal offense punishable by up to four years in prison, the settler group has not faced significant legal consequences, raising concerns about the Israeli authorities' apparent lack of enforcement.
Halutzei HaBashan's public ideology has included calls for the expulsion of local populations from the Bashan region. The movement's leading figure, Amos Azaria, an academic and activist, has argued for Jewish settlement beyond Israel's internationally recognized borders. The group's activities have gained public support from some Israeli ministers and members of parliament.