A group of families from Samaria crossed the border into Syria on Monday, near Alonei Habashan, in an attempt to establish a new community named “Neve Habashan.”
The group, which included children, intended to remain at the location for an extended period. As part of the initiative, the family of Yehudah Dror Yahalom, a soldier from Hebron who fell in battle in Lebanon, set up a memorial corner in his honor and planted flowers at the site.
IDF forces soon arrived at the scene and escorted the families back into Israeli territory. The civilians were later transferred to police custody for questioning.
Leah Sheffer of Avnei Eitan, a member of the "Bashan Pioneers" movement, told Arutz Sheva-Israel National News that the initiative had been in planning for several months.
“We established the movement based on the belief that, from a security standpoint, it is right to enter and establish settlements so the IDF can control territory further forward. The Julani regime is a terrorist regime... and we believe that without control of this area, another October 7-style event could easily breach our fence,” she said.
Sheffer also pointed to the area's historical significance. “The second reason is our ancestral heritage—the inheritance of the tribe of Menashe, the Bashan region. In the days of King David and during the Second Temple period, we lived there. Jewish archaeological remains from those times are still present.”
Describing the activity, Sheffer explained: “We entered less than a kilometer beyond the fence. The IDF controls the area, and the fence was wide open. It took about 30 to 40 minutes before anyone noticed we had crossed. We erected a sign in memory of Yehuda Yahalom, and his family was deeply moved by the cornerstone laying.”
Sheffer described the encounter with the soldiers: “They greeted us warmly, we spoke with them, and the atmosphere was very pleasant. They expressed strong support for a complete Land of Israel and praised our efforts. Eventually, they suggested we leave to avoid legal trouble, and we complied.”
In a statement, the activists declared: “The Bashan is our ancestral heritage. These empty expanses are calling us to return and settle the land. We call on the Israeli government to remove the enemy from all areas of the Bashan and allow pioneers to settle there!”
The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said, “Earlier today, a report was received about several vehicles carrying Israeli civilians who crossed the border fence into Syrian territory. IDF forces at the location safely returned the civilians to Israeli territory after a short time.”
It added, “The suspects were detained at the scene and summoned for questioning by Israel Police. The IDF emphasizes that this is a serious incident, constituting a criminal offense and endangering both the public and IDF personnel.”