IDF Detains 100 HaBashan Pioneers After Syrian Border Crossing

The Israel Defense Forces detained approximately 100 activists from the HaBashan Pioneers settler movement on July 5, 2026, after the group crossed from the Israel-Syria buffer zone into the Syrian side of Mount Hermon. The activists sought to establish an Israeli settlement in the region to cement control and counter Syrian terrorist attacks in the Golan Heights.

The IDF condemned the crossing as a criminal offense that endangers both soldiers and civilians. In contrast, the HaBashan Pioneers alleged that the military used severe violence and confiscated phones despite the activists remaining passive.