Fringe Israeli Settler Group Sneaks into Syria to Claim Land for Outpost

A fringe group of Israeli settlers, known as "Pioneers of Bashan," is actively attempting to establish Jewish settlements in southern Syria, staging regular incursions into the war-torn country. The Israeli military has confirmed these forays, which have escalated in recent weeks, with the groups attempting to cross into Syria from Israel every few days.

The "Pioneers of Bashan," formed early last year, are right-wing Israeli activists who claim historical and biblical rights to the region of Bashan, which encompasses parts of modern-day Syria and Jordan. Their current focus is on southwestern Syria, specifically the provinces of Quneitra, Daraa, and Sweida. This area includes a buffer zone declared by Israel in December 2024 after the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

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The entire Daraa district ... must be cleared of the enemies seeking our destruction and instead be filled with Jewish settlement.

Amos Azaria, a leader of the "Pioneers of Bashan" and a computer science professor at Ariel University in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, stated the group's aim is to establish a "humanitarian corridor" to the Druze enclave of Sweida. He also expressed a desire for the Daraa district to be "cleared of the enemies seeking our destruction and instead be filled with Jewish settlement."

While most Israelis view these settlers as a fringe element, the broader settlement movement enjoys significant backing from Israel's far-right government. The Israeli military is responsible for intercepting these groups, though the incursions continue. The settlers' stated goal is to establish a Jewish outpost, a term for a "young settlement" in Hebrew, next to the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in 1967 and later annexed.

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The group aims to establish a Jewish outpost inside Syria