LONDON: The Israeli army said on Monday that it detained two Israeli settlers after they illegally crossed into Syrian territory.
The pair were from the Bashan Pioneers group, which advocates establishing settlements in the south of the Syrian Arab Republic, and made the crossing from the Mount Hermon area, The Times of Israel reported.
After being detained, the settlers were taken back to Israeli territory and handed over to the police, the army said.
It described the incident as “another serious disruption of operational activity” that posed a danger to troops operating in the area. Law enforcement authorities must bring those involved to justice and prevent repeated violations, which it said constituted a “criminal offense.”
However, The Times of Israel reported that no charges had been filed against any members of the Bashan Pioneers, which it said had support from some coalition lawmakers.
