IDF detains 14 HaBashan Pioneers attempting to infiltrate into Syria, establish settlements

The IDF detained 14 Israelis from the extremist Pioneers of Bashan after they crossed the Israel's Golan border into Syria, condemning the move and urging prosecution.

Fourteen Israeli citizens crossed the border in the Golan Heights into Syrian territory before being arrested and returned to Israel by the IDF on Tuesday, the military announced in a statement.

The citizens involved in the incident belong to the “Pioneers of Bashan” movement, according to the IDF.

The movement is a far-right extremist settler movement focused on building Jewish-Israeli settlements inside Syrian territory.

The IDF stated that it “strongly condemns the incident, which constitutes another case of serious disruption to operational activity and danger to the security of IDF forces operating in the area.”

“Law enforcement authorities are required to prosecute those involved to the fullest extent of the law, with the aim of preventing these citizens from repeatedly engaging in the phenomenon, which constitutes a criminal offense,” the military added.

HaBashan Pioneers view parts of Syrian territory as their historical right

The HaBashan Pioneers were formed in April 2025 and take their name from the biblical region of Bashan, which includes parts of southwestern Syria and northern Jordan.

Members of the extremist group claim a historical right to the lands and have argued that Jewish settlements will help Israel defend the Golan Heights.

Israel captured and has since occupied a “security zone” that includes the summit of Mt. Hermon following the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Amos Azaria, a leader in the HaBashan Pioneers movement, said the group intends to establish what he refers to as a “humanitarian corridor” from Israel to the Druze enclave of Sweida, nearly 100 kilometers deep into Syrian territory, by relocating Sunnis in the area.

“The entire Daraa district… must be cleared of the enemies seeking our destruction and instead be filled with Jewish settlement,” Azaria said.

In addition to leading the HaBashan Pioneers movement, Azaria is a computer science professor at Ariel University in the West Bank.

Since its founding, HaBashan Pioneers have been involved in at least nine instances of illegal infiltration into Syrian territory, according to the IDF Spokesperson's Unit.

In each of those instances, the IDF strongly condemned the actions of the movement and its members.