Activists Harassing IDF in Syria: "Not 'Pioneers of the Bashan', but 'Breachers of the Bashan'"

The army reported a sharp increase in infiltration incidents by right-wing activists into Syria in attempts to establish a "Jewish settlement" in the area, and points to a real security danger. According to the IDF, last night three citizens crossed the border on the slopes of Mount Hermon and were returned to Israel after almost a day, after the IDF managed to locate them and return them home.

Senior army officials warned that the border-crossing incidents could drag the State of Israel into a real security and diplomatic entanglement. "We are invested in chasing after a group of teenagers that diverts attention from an armed enemy. Terrorist elements on the other side are looking for an opportunity to harm them," they warned.

According to an officer in the Northern Command, these young people, mostly minors belonging to an ideological group that believes in settling the territories of Syria and Lebanon, "call themselves 'Halutzei HaBashan' (Pioneers of the Bashan), but there is no dimension of pioneering in what they do. We call them 'Portzei HaBashan' (Breachers of the Bashan) because they are simply lawbreakers."

Today's case joins a growing chain of events in recent weeks. In conversations with senior army officials, a complex picture emerged of the daily struggle of the forces in the sector against the movement's activists, who have become experts in challenging the army in efforts to cross the border and enter Syrian territories in the area held by IDF forces since the fall of the Assad regime.

According to army sources, "They arrive each time at a different place in an organized manner. We are unable to predict it in advance and generate an alert about this, because of the limitations stemming from the fact that they are citizens of the State of Israel."

"Exploiting terrain conditions - and sneaking in"

According to the sources, the activists operate against the border infrastructure in a planned manner: "The meaning is that it meets us already at the fence. They arrive at places where they cross the fence, they are armed with means to cut the fence and they destroy it quite quickly with electric discs, cut it and enter into Syrian territory. It must be said that in most cases when we reach them, they do not resist and we collect them and fold them back into the country's territory. There were also cases where they actually behaved violently towards the forces."

The area where a significant part of the events has been taking place recently is the peak of Mount Hermon, where there is no physical obstacle, but a topographical one. "A relatively new playground has started on the slopes of Mount Hermon," the army sources explained. "They exploit the terrain characteristics and visibility limitations and fog that are there - and manage to sneak in. Our mission is defense, woe to us if our eyes look into our territory all the time. And while our eyes are looking into Syrian territory, it happens that they manage to enter without us seeing."

According to another source, "It is inconceivable that we have to set up ambushes of our combat forces, in regular and reserve duty, to lie in wait and conduct observations against our citizens instead of against the enemy. Our mission is the defense of Israeli territory and our observation and collection means we must direct beyond the border to enemy territories."

The operational diversion of attention, according to the commanders in the field, takes a direct toll on the forces' competence. "We are invested in chasing after a group of teenagers that simply wastes our time, energy and resources and diverts our attention," said another army source.

In recent weeks, almost every night the forces operate to scan and locate Israeli "infiltrators" who managed to cross the border into Syrian territories: "When we turn our observations to look for those teenagers who entered, instead of them scanning the infiltration routes and locating enemy movements - then we harm operational competence and readiness. This is the thing that bothers the most."

The army emphasized the operational difference and unique characteristics of the Syrian territory compared to other sectors, and hence the activity of "Halutzei HaBashan" is dangerous and risky: "The unique challenge in Syria, unlike, by the way, any other border front, is that beyond the border in the Golan we did not evacuate the entire population from the security zone. Unlike Lebanon or Gaza, where a yellow line is defined that is under the control of our forces and no one is allowed to enter it - in Syria the story is different. There is civilian movement here within the security zone, among whom there can also be terrorist elements at a distance of an hour's drive from Damascus the capital."

Army sources explained that "there is a huge risk here for anyone who crosses the fence and enters the territory of a hostile state. And certainly there is a real risk here." He adds that, moreover, the army knows that terrorist elements on the other side are interested in the declarations and efforts of movements in Israel to establish Jewish settlements in their territory "and they are very busy with this thing and they are looking for the opportunity to harm those people."

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Mutual accusations

In an IDF Spokesperson's announcement today, the army pointed an accusing finger at the Israel Police with a demand for more effective police activity and wrote that "law enforcement agencies are required to exhaust the law with those involved, with the goal of preventing those citizens from repeating this phenomenon time after time, which constitutes a criminal offense."

The police claimed in return that they are working to prosecute and distance those involved and note that only in the last few days seven investigation files have already been transferred for the decision of the prosecution, on prosecuting the criminals who crossed the borders. The police noted that only in cases where the international "Blue Line" border between Israel and Syria is crossed, can the criminals be prosecuted, whereas in many cases in practice the suspects who were arrested did not cross the official border between the countries.

In the "Halutzei HaBashan" movement, they claimed that they receive discriminatory treatment from the police and the army and say that the arrests and police orders to distance the organization's activists from the Golan and border areas "will not weaken their hands," even though no one actually sent them on the mission that they see as holy.

In the organization members' announcement yesterday, in response to the distancing of two movement activists from the Golan areas by a police order for 45 days, it was stated that "arrests and distancing will not delay the great move to promote Jewish settlement in the Bashan region, but on the contrary. As hostile elements try to harm the activists, so the importance of the movement and the necessity of its activity sharpens. Jewish settlement in the Bashan region will be established despite the opposition of Julani, his men and all those who seek to harm the State of Israel and its security."

This afternoon, in response to the arrest of three other young people who crossed the border and held a "Shacharit prayer" in the "Tal Hermon" settlement in Syrian territories, the movement stated that "unfortunately, the activists were discovered now, and unfortunately, again they sent IDF soldiers to evacuate - precisely what is good for them and for all of us. Let us sit here quietly, and our settlement will help and add to everyone. It is a pity to stir up riots, provocations and unnecessary evacuations."