Right-wing Israeli activists crossed into Syria, barricading themselves in a building near Hader with the aim of establishing a settlement.
Israeli Activists Enter Syrian Territory
Activists affiliated with the far-right group Pioneers of Bashan stated they have barricaded themselves in a building on the outskirts of the Syrian city of Hader and announced they will remain there until the Israeli government approves settlements in the country.
Footage shows them standing on the roof of the building, dancing and singing. In a private WhatsApp group, the activists wrote that the action was intended to establish a settlement in the area, according to the “Haarec” newspaper.
Previous Attempts to Establish a Foothold
This is not the first time Pioneers of Bashan have attempted to create a foothold on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights. They also made attempts to breach the border fence and enter Syrian territory to settle there in November 2025 and February 2026.
The group’s name derives from the biblical region in what is now southern Syria, which – according to the Bible – was allocated to one of the 12 tribes of Israel. Police have warned that crossing the border with Syria or Lebanon is a crime punishable by up to four years in prison.
Israeli Settlements and Outposts
Settlements and outposts are Israeli citizens living on Palestinian lands in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. Some move to these territories due to lower living costs and financial incentives offered by the government, but many believe the biblical covenant between God and the Israelites justifies territorial claims.
Over 700,000 settlers currently live in 150 settlements and 128 outposts located in the occupied West Bank and annexed East Jerusalem (1980). Most settlements were built on private Palestinian land, wholly or partially.
The Difference Between Settlements and Outposts
Settlements are approved by the Israeli government, while outposts are established without its consent. Outposts can vary in scale, from small structures inhabited by a few people to communities of several hundred residents. A small portion of settlers actively seek to establish settlements also in the territory of Lebanon and Syria.
Political Context and Expansionist Rhetoric
Politicians from religious-Zionist parties – whose electorate largely consists of settlers – sometimes talk about expanding the territory of Israel to include additional land considered, according to Zionist interpretation, promised in the Bible, and even lands from the Nile to the Euphrates. These parties received approximately 11 percent of the vote in the recent elections.