Fringe Israeli settler group sneaks into Syria to claim land for Jewish outpost

Israeli soldiers preparing to strike a group of men in southern Syria held their fire after noticing the men's sidelocks, realizing they were religious Jews returning from a crossing into Syria rather than militants approaching the border.

The incident was first reported by Israel's public broadcaster and confirmed to The Associated Press by the Israeli military has drawn attention to a fringe settler group that has repeatedly crossed into Syria hoping to establish Jewish settlements there.

Israel's military has occupied part of southern Syria for more than a year now but the civilian settler incursions into the area have only recently become routine with groups of several dozen attempting crossings every few days in recent weeks. The military is responsible for stopping them, and while most Israelis view the settlers as a fringe movement, the broader settlement movement has strong support within Israel's far-right government. The most prominent group involved is called "Pioneers of Bashan."

Named After a Biblical Region

Formed in early 2025, ‘Pioneers of Bashan’ is a group of right-wing activists seeking to establish Jewish settlements inside Syria. The name references the biblical region of Bashan, which spans parts of present-day Syria and Jordan.

The group is focused on southwestern Syria including the provinces of Quneitra, Daraa and Sweida. Part of that territory, including the summit of Mount Hermon falls within a buffer zone Israel declared in December 2024 after the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The Bashan region is described in the Bible as fertile land associated with strength and divine favour, where the Israelites under Moses defeated King Og before it was allotted to Israelite tribes.

Group members argue they have a historical claim to the land and say their presence would help Israel defend the Golan Heights, which it captured from Syria in the 1967 war and later annexed a move most of the international community does not recognize.

Some members argue Israeli settlement of the area would protect the Druze minority, following sectarian violence last year between Druze groups, Sunni Bedouin tribes and Syrian government forces that killed hundreds of civilians, mostly Druze.

Group leader Amos Azaria, a computer science professor at Ariel University in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, said the group wants to create a corridor between Israel and the Druze enclave of Sweida by clearing nearby Sunni-majority areas for Jewish settlement.

Goal: A Jewish Outpost in Syria

The group's immediate goal is establishing an outpost which would be an early, informal settlement in southern Syria near the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, in hopes the government will eventually legalize it, a path that led to the founding of many settlements in the West Bank.

So far, the military has removed activists before they could build anything. Group videos posted online show activists linking arms and resisting soldiers, being zip-tied and detained, and in one case, waving Israeli flags atop a house near the Syrian village of Hader.

Military Says Incursions Undermine Operations

Israel's military says it firmly enforces the border, arguing the crossings distract troops and compromise security. It detains civilians caught crossing and hands them to police, saying it expects law enforcement to prosecute those involved. Israeli media reported last week that no indictments have been filed so far.

Members of the group say they have close ties to officials in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, including meetings with cabinet ministers Amihai Eliyahu and Shlomo Karhi. Azaria said the group has backing from government allies and members of the Knesset.

Syria, Lebanon Focus on Broader Occupation Concerns

Syrian officials have not commented on the settler incursions but have repeatedly condemned Israel's occupation of southern Syria and called for troop withdrawal and international intervention. Israeli forces have also carried out raids outside the buffer zone, sometimes clashing with residents who have tried to block roads.

Since October 2023, a similar movement has held periodic marches at the Gaza border calling for the reestablishment of settlements there, which Israel dismantled during its 2005 withdrawal.

A separate fringe group, "Uri Tzafon," has staged similar incursions into southern Lebanon, drawing little attention from the Lebanese government, which has focused on demanding an Israeli troop withdrawal.

Still, Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri cautioned against dismissing such groups entirely, noting on social media that the movement to settle the West Bank also began with a small, embattled group of activists that faced early setbacks.

(With inputs from PTI/AP