Israeli settlers spend a whole day in Syria before detention

Israeli settlers spend a whole day in Syria before being caught by troops Israeli settlers illegally crossed the border into Syria and spent the whole day inside the neighbouring country's territory before they were caught Israeli troops patrol the border fence with Syria near the town of Majdal Shams in the Israel-occupied Golan Heights [Getty] A group of Israeli settlers illegally crossed the border into Syria via the occupied Golan Heights and spent a full day there before being detained and sent back by Israeli troops. Citing the military, The Times of Israel said settlers crossed the border on Thursday near Majdal Shams, in the northern part of the Israeli-occupied Golan. Israeli troops searched for them but only found them on Friday, before handing them over to Israeli police for questioning. On Friday, more settlers tried to cross into Syria from the southern Golan Heights but were barred by the military, which said there had been an increase in attempts by settlers to cross the border into the neighbouring country in recent weeks. In a statement carried by TOI, the military said such actions divert the army’s attention from ongoing operations inside Syria and compromise security, emphasising that such actions "constitute a criminal offence that endangers civilians and soldiers." The settlers, who go by name the Bashan Pioneers, are calling to establish settlements in parts of southern Syria currently under Israeli occupation. Several far-right Israeli politicians have backed their calls. In the Torah, Bashan was a fertile territory east of the Jordan River and Mount Hermon. The name has recently been resurrected by Israeli-backed Druze separatist cleric Hikmat al-Hijri, whose forces control most of Syria's Suweida province. Israeli forces stormed southern Syria right after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024, crossing a UN-demarcated buffer zone and ending a de-escalation agreement with Damascus since the 1970s. Since then, Israel has captured some territory in the Quneitra province and the Syrian side of Mount Hermon, with frequent incursions and arrests taking place. Several deadly strikes have also taken place in the region. Tel Aviv claims its presence is for security purposes following the fall of the Assad regime and has vowed not to leave. The new Syrian government has said it does not want conflict with Israel and refuses the security pretexts. Negotiations between the two countries have failed to yield results. US President Donald Trump, who has met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on multiple occasions, has reportedly called on Israel to leave Syria as well as neighbouring Lebanon, where Israeli forces also occupy territory. Earlier this week, a group of Israeli settlers from the Uri Tzafon movement crossed into southern Lebanon and went swimming in the Hasbani River, the northernmost headwater of the Jordan River. A video widely circulated on social media shows four women sat by and swimming in the river, in an area currently under Israeli occupation. They reportedly stayed there for about an hour before Israeli troops arrived and ordered them to leave. It was the second incursion by settlers of this movement this month. Uri Tzafon – Hebrew for Rise up, North, referring to a biblical phrase – is a movement which also seeks to establish settlements in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military refuses to leave a security zone along the entire border inside southern Lebanon before the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group is disarmed. Both sides have been engaged in conflict since October 2023, but there has been a lull in fighting in recent weeks due to a US-sponsored ceasefire. Related Articles