The tents in Lebanon
The tents in LebanonUri Tsafon

The IDF on Wednesday admitted for the first time that a group of Israelis crossed the Israel-Lebanon border a week and a half ago, and set up tents in Lebanon.

The individuals involved are members of the "Uri Tsafon" movement, which works to encourage the founding of Jewish settlements in southern Lebanon. They arrived in the area of Maroun El Ras, and set up tents at the site of their outpost, which they named "Mei Marom."

Following the incident, the IDF claimed that the activists had not set up tents in Lebanese territory. Now, Galei Zahal's Doron Kadosh reported that following an investigation of the incident, it seems that the civilians did cross the border, reaching a few meters past the "Blue Line," and set up tents. After they were identified by an IDF force, they were distanced from the scene.

An IDF spokesman responded: "This is a very serious incident which will be investigated. Any attempt to near or cross the border into Lebanese territory which is not in coordination [with the IDF] presents a danger to life and harms the IDF's ability to operate in the area and fulfill its tasks."

Members of Uri Tsafon have announced that they intend to set up a "seed" group which will settle the village, which used to have a Jewish presence.

The group planted cedar trees in memory of IDF soldier Yehuda DRor, who fell in battle in Lebanon two months ago. A few hours after they arrived, an IDF force arrived at the scene and the group members left the area.

Uri Tsafon responded: "We arrived here in preparation for the founding of a 'seed' group which will settle the area in the future, and we memorialized Yehuda Dror, may G-d avenge his death. Maroun El Ras was an ancient Hebrew community named Mei Marom. Yehuda fell in battle in Ayta ash Shab, a village where a group of kohanim (Jewish priests) lived in the past. With G-d's help, we will yet return to all these areas in Lebanon, where Jews lived in the past, 'because the Land is very very good (Numbers 14:7).'"