Israelis illegally cross into Lebanon, throw rocks at IDF soldiers; 4 arrested
Several people — reportedly Hasidim searching for tomb of 4th century rabbi — cross the border, some attack troops who arrive at scene
Several Israelis illegally crossed the border into Lebanon overnight, and some of them threw rocks at Israel Defense Forces troops who arrived on the scene, the Israel Police said Wednesday.
Law enforcement officials said four were arrested for illegally crossing the border and public order offenses.
The remaining suspects were returned to Israel by IDF soldiers. It was unclear how many Israelis crossed the border and why they were not all arrested.
They were from the Breslov Hasidic sect and were aiming to reach the tomb of Rav Ashi, a fourth-century Babylonian scholar who is believed to be buried in the hills near Manara in the Galilee panhandle, the Kan public broadcaster reported. The shrine marking his burial spot straddles the Blue Line border position and is situated within a militarized compound hemmed in between an IDF post and a UNIFIL base.
The border has become relatively porous since a November ceasefire agreement ended the war between Israel and terror group Hezbollah, with the IDF remaining partially deployed inside Lebanon to protect the border, leading to military movement back and forth across the boundary.
Police were to request an extension of the suspects’ remand later at the Kiryat Shmona Magistrate’s Court.
The force noted that crossing the border illegally is punishable with up to four years in jail.
It was the second such incident this week. Overnight Saturday-Sunday a group of some 20 ultra-Orthodox Jewish Israelis illegally entered Lebanon, before being detained by IDF troops and handed over to the police. According to Kan, they were also Breslov followers.
There have been several previous occasions when Israeli civilians crossed the border into Lebanon since the November ceasefire halted 13 months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.
In December, four Israelis were detained for crossing the border and trying to reach Rav Ashi’s tomb.
The same month, a group of settler activists briefly crossed the border and entered Lebanon, setting up tents and advocating the establishment of Israeli communities there — a fringe position that no mainstream figure or institution has taken up.
Hezbollah had begun attacking Israel across the border on October 8, 2023, the day after the Palestinian terror group Hamas led thousands of terrorists to invade southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and abducting 251 to the Gaza Strip, and triggering a war in the coastal enclave.
Fighting with the Iran-backed terror group escalated into open war during which Israel decimated its leadership and depleted its fighting abilities. A ceasefire was reached at the end of November.
On Tuesday, which brought a delayed deadline for IDF withdrawal, the military withdrew from southern Lebanon but left troops deployed in five strategic positions.
A ceasefire with Hamas began in January. Both truces are fragile and have faced setbacks but have held up nonetheless.
