Israeli extremists cross into southern Lebanon, call for settlement

Israeli extremists crossed into southern Lebanon on Wednesday evening and called for settlement in the Arab country, in a rare cross-border move following a similar incident in Syria hours earlier.

Footage circulated by a group advocating settlement in Lebanon showed far-right Israeli occupiers inside areas in the country’s south, declaring, “Our activists are in southern Lebanon,” and calling for what they described as the “resumption of settlement.”

The development came shortly after dozens of Israeli occupiers from the so-called “Bashan Pioneers” movement entered the Syrian village of Hader, where they climbed onto a building and waved Israeli flags in the presence of Israeli forces.

The Israeli army later said it had returned around 40 Israeli civilians who had crossed into Syria and handed them over to police.

Israel’s public broadcaster said a number of Israelis also managed to cross into southern Lebanon, advancing several hundred meters beyond the border before being detained.

The broadcaster said the Israeli army later apprehended them and handed them over to police.

Advocates of the so-called “Greater Israel” project – including such Israeli officials as extremist Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich – argue that in addition to occupying the Gaza Strip and West Bank, the country should expand into the territory of neighboring sovereign countries such as Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon.

Over 2,200 people have been killed and more than 1 million displaced by expanded Israeli attacks on Lebanon since March 2, soon after the start of the Iran war.

Attacks have continued despite a 10-day US-mediated ceasefire agreed on April 16.​​​​​​​

*Writing by Tarek Chouiref