Israeli activists establish new community in Syrian buffer zone

In a controversial move, a group of Israeli settlement activists, known as the Uri Tzafon movement, crossed into the demilitarized zone established after the 1973 Yom Kippur War. This area, which is now controlled by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), was previously under Syrian civil administration. The activists, calling themselves the Pioneers of the Bashan, ventured into the zone adjacent to the Israeli town of Alonei HaBashan to lay the foundation for a new town named Neve HaBashan. They claim this action is part of their ongoing effort to assert Israeli presence and control in areas deemed essential for national security. The IDF had established a presence in this buffer zone after the collapse of the Assad regime in December 2024, after which Israel declared that the previous demilitarization agreement was no longer applicable. Although Israel had annexed the majority of the Golan Heights in 1981, it has indicated that it does not plan to extend its laws into this former buffer zone. The Uri Tzafon activists were reportedly not coordinating their actions with the IDF or the Israeli government, which raised concerns about unauthorized movements in a sensitive area. Following the ceremony to lay the cornerstone for Neve HaBashan, the IDF detained the activists for questioning but later released them back into Israeli territory. This incident marks a continuation of a trend where the Uri Tzafon movement has attempted to settle in parts of Lebanon and now has expanded its mission to parts of the former Syrian buffer zone, which has faced escalating tensions since the outbreak of conflict in Lebanon in 2023. Critics of the Uri Tzafon movement's actions fear that such unilateral moves could further inflame existing tensions in the region, given the historical complexities surrounding Israeli control over the Golan Heights and the ongoing instability in Syria. Advocates argue that their actions symbolize a resolute claim to territories that have significant strategic value for Israel's security interests. As Israel's relationship with its neighbors remains tenuous, this recent development adds another layer of complexity to an already fraught geopolitical landscape.