Israeli military forces recently halted a planned nighttime strike against individuals in southern Syria after recognizing them as religious Jewish settlers rather than Syrian militants. The incident highlights the activities of a fringe group of Israeli settlers who have repeatedly crossed into southern Syria with the intent to establish Jewish settlements in the region.
The group, known as the Pioneers of Bashan, was formed early last year and is comprised of right-wing Israeli activists advocating for Jewish settlement within parts of southwestern Syria. Their targeted areas include the provinces of Quneitra, Daraa, and Sweida, which encompass territories near the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights. The commanders of the group invoke biblical claims to the land, referencing the ancient region of Bashan mentioned in scripture, and argue that their presence serves to bolster Israel’s defensive posture around the Golan Heights. Israel captured and later annexed the Golan Heights following the 1967 Middle East war, although this annexation lacks widespread international recognition.
The Pioneers of Bashan also cite concerns about protecting the Druze minority living in Syria, particularly following violent sectarian clashes last year involving Druze groups, Sunni Bedouin tribes, and Syrian government forces. Hundreds, mostly Druze civilians, were reportedly killed in these confrontations. Amos Azaria, a leader of the group and a computer science professor at Ariel University in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, described their objective as creating a “humanitarian corridor” to the Druze enclave of Sweida by depopulating nearby Sunni-majority areas. Azaria stated that the Daraa district should be “cleared of the enemies seeking our destruction” and repopulated with Jewish settlements.
The settlers’ incursions have typically been brief and met with removal by Israeli military forces before any permanent structures can be erected. The group attempts to establish rudimentary outposts, or “young settlements,” which settlers hope might eventually receive official recognition from the Israeli government. Similar tactics have been used in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where outposts often precede legalized settlements.
Videos released by the Pioneers of Bashan depict confrontations with Israeli soldiers, including scenes of protesters linking arms on the ground and being detained by security forces. The Israeli military has condemned the settlers' actions, stating that the incursions divert military resources and compromise the safety of troops in the area. Those caught crossing the border are handed over to police, but no indictments have been reported so far.
Members of the settler group claim to have support from figures within Israel’s far-right government. Pioneers of Bashan have documented meetings with Cabinet ministers Amihai Eliyahu and Shlomo Karhi, and assert broader backing from members of the Knesset.
The Syrian government has not publicly addressed these incursions. It continues to denounce Israel’s presence in southern Syria and calls on the international community to intervene. Israeli forces have conducted military operations in the area, sometimes resulting in clashes with local residents who have attempted to block access roads.
In addition to activities in southern Syria, similar settler movements have appeared along the Gaza border, advocating for the restoration of Jewish settlements removed during Israel’s 2005 disengagement from the Gaza Strip. Another Israeli fringe group, Uri Tzafon, has staged occasional incursions into southern Lebanon. Lebanese authorities have largely focused on demanding Israeli military withdrawal rather than responding directly to these settler activities.