The Israel Defense Forces said Thursday two Israeli civilians crossed the border into Syria from the Mount Hermon area. IDF troops located them, returned them to Israeli territory, and handed them over to the police, according to Army Radio (N13). The report notes the incident is the 18th such crossing attempt in recent months.
The Israel Defense Forces said Thursday it intercepted two Israeli civilians who crossed the border into Syria from the Mount Hermon area. The civilians were located, returned to Israeli territory, and handed over to the Israel Police. The military condemned the incident as a criminal offense and called for legal proceedings. Army Radio reported the incident as the 18th such crossing attempt in recent months.
The Zioneer reported the incident at 12:19 Jerusalem, and subsequent updates identified the civilians as members of the 'Bashan Pioneers' activist group, which advocates for establishing Israeli communities in Syria. The IDF has repeatedly condemned these crossings as endangering troops and disrupting operations. Over the past month, The Zioneer has reported on multiple similar incidents, including the detention of 70 activists on July 6 and several smaller groups on July 9, July 18, and July 22, all at Mount Hermon.
The 'Bashan Pioneers' group has received support from coalition lawmakers, as The Zioneer reported on July 6. The IDF maintains a presence in the buffer zone adjacent to the Syrian border, and has called for prosecution in each case.
No charges have been filed in this incident, and the individuals' specific motivations remain unclear. The IDF continues to monitor the border for further attempts.
8 developments
- StrongIDF detained 70 'Bashan Pioneers' activists attempting to cross into Syria at Mount Hermon
- ConfirmedIDF detains settler activists after overnight attempt to cross into Syria at Mount Hermon
- StrongFive Bashan Pioneers activists arrested near Mount Hermon in border crossing attempt
- DevelopingTwo Bashan Rescue activists barred from Golan Heights for 45 days after crossing into Syria
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