The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation reported on Monday evening, quoting a settler from the "Rovers of Bashan" organization, whom it did not name, speaking from inside Syrian territory, that he is present with others in the southern Syria region "night and day," and considered it "the property of the people of Israel according to the holy Torah."

The settler called for "the Israeli army to remain here, as there are military bases here and there, and we are here in the field night and day."

"Rovers of Bashan" is a right-wing settlement movement that calls for the establishment of Israeli settlements inside Syria. The name "Bashan" in the Torah refers to the region in southern Syria, without clear borders.

July 5, 2026 The settlement movement "Rovers of Bashan" published a video showing about a hundred of its activists attempting to cross the 1974 disengagement line with the aim of establishing an outpost pic.twitter.com/nkn3osR4a2

— Sijil Center (@sijilsy) July 5, 2026

The Israeli army, for its part, announced that it prevented a number of settlers from crossing into Syrian territory at the southern part of Mount Hermon, explaining that an Israeli force in the area "detained the group and transferred them to the police for necessary action."

Protesters from the "Rovers of Bashan" movement chaining themselves to the border fence with Syria, demanding permission to settle in the area, May 2026 (Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation)

The Israeli army confirmed yesterday, Monday, that it "strongly condemns this incident, which adds to a series of similar incidents, and emphasizes that it is a criminal offense that endangers civilians and hinders the operational activity of the Israeli army forces."

No Syrian comment has been issued regarding the incident so far, but Damascus has repeatedly demanded an end to Israeli violations of its sovereignty.

The Israeli army had announced last Thursday that it foiled a new attempt by settlers from the same movement to infiltrate Syrian territory, adding that it stopped them in the Mount Hermon area in the south of the country.

Meanwhile, the residents of Hadar village (in the Syrian Quneitra countryside) issued a formal statement expressing their strong rejection of the Israeli practices that have recently affected their town.

Elements of the "movement" had previously infiltrated Syrian territory as part of their call to establish a settlement inside the Syrian "Golan," and settlers signed a petition demanding members of the mini-security cabinet "Cabinet" approve settlement in an area they call "Bashan" inside Syria.

Attempt by about 100 from "Rovers of Bashan" to cross the buffer zone between Israel and Syria to the Syrian side of Mount Hermon last July 5 (movement's accounts)

The settlement movement "Rovers of Bashan" said in a post on X: "We are approaching 24 hours in (Bashan)." It continued: "Two activists from the (movement) climbed up since the night hours and crossed the border into the (Bashan) area, calling for the renewal of settlement in (Bashan)." It said they have been there for long hours in Hermon (Mount Hermon) near the outskirts of Hadar village, and have started building the first structure."

The "movement" said it informed the Israeli army of its moves, stressing its aim to impose a "permanent civilian presence" in those areas.

The disengagement zone in the Golan between Syria and Israel (Archive - Reuters)

Since 1967, Israel has occupied most of the Syrian Golan Heights, and exploited the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in late 2024, declaring the collapse of the disengagement agreement signed between the two sides in 1974, before occupying the Syrian buffer zone.

On an almost daily basis, Israeli forces infiltrate various areas in southern Syria, arrest Syrians, destroy crops, and set up checkpoints to search passersby and interrogate them.

This comes despite the agreement between Syria and Israel, on January 6, 2026, to form a communication mechanism, under American supervision, to coordinate information exchange, reduce military escalation, enhance diplomatic engagement, and explore commercial opportunities.

Syrians say that the continuation of Israeli violations limits their ability to restore stability and hinders the government's efforts to attract investments and improve the economic situation.