The IDF said Wednesday evening that several Israeli civilians arrived at the Mount Hermon area with the intent to cross the border into Syria. The military expects law enforcement to exhaust the legal process against those involved.
The IDF confirmed on Wednesday evening, Jul 22, that several Israeli civilians had arrived at the Mount Hermon area with the intent to cross the border into Syria. The military stated it expects law enforcement to exhaust the legal process against those involved. The announcement came hours after the IDF had already detained the civilians, describing the incident as a severe disruption of operational activity and a criminal offense that endangers both civilians and troops.
Earlier today, at 16:39 Jerusalem, the IDF first reported the detention of Israeli civilians attempting to cross into Syria near Mount Hermon. Over the course of the afternoon, the military's characterization escalated: from initial confirmation of the detention, to condemning the incident as a 'serious disruption' and a 'criminal offense,' and finally calling for prosecution. The thread shows that the detainees were transferred to the Israel Police and that the IDF described the pattern as a 'recurring phenomenon.' The group involved was identified in some reports as the 'Bashan Pioneers' activist movement.
The incident is the latest in a series of similar attempts by the Bashan Pioneers group, which advocates for establishing Israeli communities in Syria. As The Zioneer reported on Jul 6, the IDF detained 70 activists from the group attempting to cross into Syria. On Jul 9, settler activists were detained in a similar overnight attempt. On Jul 18, the IDF confirmed detaining Israelis who had illegally crossed into Syria. Earlier today, at 15:13 Jerusalem, Bashan Pioneers activists claimed to have crossed into Syria and stated their goal was permanent civilian settlement. The IDF has consistently condemned these actions as criminal and endangering lives.
The exact number of civilians involved in Wednesday's incident remains unspecified; initial reports mentioned three individuals, while later IDF statements referred to 'several.' It is not yet clear whether formal charges have been filed or if the detainees have been released. The IDF's expectation of legal action marks a demand for a more decisive response than seen in previous episodes, where no charges were reported to have been filed.
10 developments
- ConfirmedIDF detains settler activists after overnight attempt to cross into Syria at Mount Hermon
- StrongIDF detains Israelis who crossed into Syria
- StrongIDF detained 70 'Bashan Pioneers' activists attempting to cross into Syria at Mount Hermon
- StrongReport: IDF averted accidental strike on Israeli activists at Mount Hermon overnight
Source and signal
- Internal intake