Israeli military sources said an IDF force operating at the Mount Hermon border prevented several Israeli civilians from crossing into Syria and detained them. The incident comes after the IDF warned of a rise in border crossing attempts.
IDF forces detained several Israeli civilians on Wednesday evening as they attempted to cross into Syria at Mount Hermon, according to Israeli military sources. The detention came after the IDF warned of a rise in border crossing attempts, and minutes after the military confirmed that civilians had arrived at the site. The IDF described the incident as a criminal offense and a severe disruption to operational activity.
The thread of developments began at 16:39 Jerusalem time, when ynet reported that three Israelis were detained. Over the following minutes, the IDF officially confirmed the detention, condemned the incident as a criminal offense endangering civilians and troops, and identified the activists as members of the 'Bashan Pioneers' group. The military called the incident part of a recurring phenomenon and transferred the detainees to the Israel Police. At 19:46 Jerusalem, the IDF stated it expects law enforcement to exhaust the legal process against those involved.
As The Zioneer has reported, the Bashan Pioneers group has made repeated attempts to cross into Syria in recent weeks. On July 9, the IDF detained activists from the group overnight. On July 21, Israeli media reported that the IDF averted an accidental airstrike on the group near the border. The group advocates for establishing permanent Israeli civilian settlement in Syria and has received backing from coalition lawmakers, though no charges have been filed in previous incidents.
It remains unclear whether the detainees will face charges, and the IDF has not specified the number of individuals detained. The group's continued activity despite military warnings and police intervention raises questions about enforcement of border laws.
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