Two Israeli settlement activists illegally cross into Syria

Two Israeli settlement activists illegally crossed the border into Syria today, before being returned to Israel by the IDF.

The military says the pair arrived in the Mount Hermon area and crossed the border.

“IDF troops who were dispatched to the scene located the civilians, returned them to Israeli territory, and detained them,” the military says, adding that they were handed over to the police for further handling.

The activists, who call themselves the Bashan Pioneers, call for the establishment of settlements in southern Syria. There has been an increase in attempts by the activists to cross the border into Syria in recent weeks.

שני פעילים של ״חלוצי הבשן״ הצליחו לחדור את הגבול בין ישראל לסוריה, ופרצו למרחב החרמון. כוח צה״ל קפץ לנקודה, החזיר אותם לשטח ישראל והעביר אותם למשטרה. pic.twitter.com/qsXbjiX6ly

— (((IsraelMatzav))) (@IsraelMatzav) July 27, 2026

“The IDF strongly condemns the incident, which constitutes another serious disruption of operational activity and poses a danger to the safety of IDF troops operating in the area,” the military says. The IDF adds that “law enforcement authorities are required to bring those involved to justice and to prevent those individuals from repeatedly engaging in this incident, which constitutes a criminal offense.”

There have been no charges filed against the Bashan Pioneers members, and despite their illegal actions, they have also received support from coalition lawmakers.