A group of approximately 35 right-wing activists from the ''Bashan Pioneers" movement on Wednesday afternoon crossed into Syria from the Golan Heights and barricaded themselves on the roof of a building in the village of Khader, at the foot of Mount Hermon.
This is not the first time the group has crossed the border into Syria.
The IDF stated that dozens of activists crossed the border, entered approximately 500 meters into Syrian territory, were removed, and transferred to police custody.
The Bashan Pioneers movement said in response: "If, for example, we had settled in Lebanon during the time of [former Prime Ministers Menachem] Begin and [Yitzhak] Shamir, [Ehud] Barak would not have been able to chase the IDF out so easily, and we would not now be shedding our soldiers’ blood there again."
"The right-wing government must use the time it has left to establish facts on the ground."
The IDF responded: "A short while ago, approximately 40 Israeli civilians gathered near the Israel-Syria border. After a few minutes, the civilians crossed the border and continued several hundred meters into Syria."
"IDF soldiers operating at the location returned the civilians to Israeli territory and apprehended them at the scene.
"The apprehended civilians have been transferred to the Israel Police.
"The IDF strongly condemns this incident and emphasizes its severity, which constitutes a criminal offense that endangers civilians and IDF troops."