The IDF said Thursday that several Israeli civilians attempted to cross the border into Syria at Mount Hermon overnight. Troops detained them and transferred them to police. The military condemned the incident as a criminal offense that endangers civilians and disrupts operations, and said it expects law enforcement to prosecute those involved.
The IDF on Thursday issued a formal condemnation of the overnight attempt by Israeli civilians to cross the border into Syria at Mount Hermon, calling the act a criminal offense that endangers the civilians and disrupts military operations. The statement, released at 14:59, came minutes after The Zioneer first reported the detention at 14:56. The military said several civilians were detained and transferred to police, and that it expects law enforcement to prosecute those involved.
This marks the fourth such attempt in recent days. On Sunday, the IDF detained 70 activists from the 'Bashan Pioneers' group who similarly attempted to cross into Syria near Mount Hermon, as The Zioneer reported at 00:47 Monday. A third attempt was reported by N12 and confirmed by the IDF on Thursday at 14:54, with the military's condemnation following shortly after. The IDF has described these incidents as a recurring phenomenon that diverts commanders' attention from operational tasks.
As The Zioneer reported on Monday, the IDF has previously condemned similar attempts, calling them criminal offenses that endanger civilians and disrupt operations. The 'Bashan Pioneers' group, which advocates for establishing Israeli communities in Syria, has made several such attempts over the past year.
It remains unclear whether any charges have been filed against the detainees from this latest incident, or whether the individuals involved are affiliated with any specific activist group.
7 developments
- StrongIDF detained 70 'Bashan Pioneers' activists attempting to cross into Syria at Mount Hermon
- DevelopingIDF, Ministry of Defense confirm arrest of suspect in attempted ramming near Beit Omar
- StrongIDF rescues Israeli civilians from Qalqilya, criticizes unauthorized entry into Area A
- StrongIDF detains suspect near Kerem Shalom crossing after alert, no infiltration into Israel
Source and signal
- Internal intake