The Campaign for Jewish Settlements in Southern Syria: Interview with the 'Pioneers of Bashan Movement'

As noted before in this newsletter, a video recently emerged of some Israeli activists who crossed the border of the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights and holed themselves up in a property lying between Majdal Shams (part of the Golan Heights) and the town of Hadr (controlled by Syria, and a Druze locality like Majdal Shams) for several hours before the IDF (which has launched incursions into southern Syria since the regime fell) took them back into Israel.

These activists were part of the ‘Pioneers of Bashan Movement’, which seeks to establish Jewish settlements in southern Syria, a region it calls ‘Bashan’ (mentioned in the Bible and encompassing parts of southern Syria). It will also be noted that in the primarily Druze province of al-Suwayda’, Hikmat al-Hijri has named the region ‘Bashan Mountain’- a clear attempt to align the Druze of the province with Israel.

To learn more about the goals of the ‘Pioneers of Bashan Movement’, its influence within Israel and how it views the current Syrian government, I conducted an interview today with Amos Azaria, a board member of the movement, a lecturer at Ariel University (located in the West Bank) and a supporter of Jewish settlement of Gaza. Parenthetical insertions in square brackets are my own.

Emblem of the ‘Pioneers of Bashan’ Movement

When was your movement founded and what parts of modern Syria do you consider to be Bashan?

The Pioneers of Bashan movement was founded in April 2025. After the fall of Assad – Israel made a smart move by taking control of a small portion of Bashan to secure Israeli civilians from Julani [Ahmad al-Sharaa] the terrorist and the jihadist state he was forming. The Bashan extends all the way to Mount Bashan (Suwayda) on the east, and northward toward the approaches to Damascus, though not Damascus itself.

Why do you believe areas of Bashan should be settled? Is it solely because of the Tanakh [Hebrew Bible] connection or because it is in Israel’s security interests to do so?

It is both. The Tanakh gives the Jewish people a deep historical connection to Bashan, which continued throughout the Second Temple period and even long after its destruction. The October 7 massacre has taught Israelis that empty slogans about “quiet borders” without Jewish settlements collapse overnight and can lead to massacres. Therefore, Jewish settlement is a form of long-term security. Armies can hold a line temporarily, but civilian presence creates depth, permanence, agriculture, roads, intelligence, and national commitment. We believe settlement in Bashan would protect Israel, strengthen the Golan, and prevent hostile forces from returning to Israel’s doorstep.

In the parts of Bashan you would like to settle, would you like to remove the Muslim inhabitants but allow, for example, the Christians and Druze to stay? Could they become Israeli citizens too?

Druze, Christians, and others who support Israel or accept Israeli sovereignty should be able to remain, with a path similar to loyal minorities inside Israel. They would benefit greatly from our presence, both in terms of security and economic opportunity. We note that today many Druze actively support us. But the Sunnites [Sunnis] who openly support Israel’s destruction, incite against Jews, and cooperate with hostile forces cannot remain in a strategic border region.

So far the IDF has removed all people who cross over the Golan Border in an attempt to establish settlements. Is the IDF against your movement? What happened recently for example with some members who crossed over the border fence at Majdal Shams?

Many of us serve in the IDF, and in fact, we enjoy great support from IDF soldiers. However, since the Israeli government has not yet approved our presence in Bashan, unfortunately, soldiers receive orders to remove us (which they follow despite not always agreeing with them). Last week, during Israel’s 78th Independence Day, nearly fifty members of our movement crossed the border and established a foothold in an abandoned house between Majdal Shams and Hader for several hours, until they were removed.

What is the position of the Israeli government on your movement? Which ministers are sympathetic to the goal of settling Bashan? Some would say settling Bashan is fringe movement in Israel. Do you think it will get more support over time?

The Israeli government has not yet adopted our full position of civilian settlement in Bashan; however, many MKs and ministers fully support our goals (though not all say so publicly). The early Golan settlements were also seen by some as temporary or unrealistic, but today the Golan is a central part of Israel. The same goes for the settlers in Judea and Samaria, and we believe that the same will happen in the Bashan.

What do you think of the current Syrian government? The Syrian government says it would like to make a security agreement with Israel to keep the border quiet. Do you not accept this idea? What conditions would you accept for an agreement between Syria and Israel?

We reject any agreement with Julani / al-Sharaa, and even the very idea of negotiations or direct communication with him. He is not a legitimate partner; he is a jihadist ruler who initiated massacres against the Druze, Christians, Kurds, and Alawites. Israel, and any country with moral clarity, must not legitimize such a regime through negotiations.

Let’s say a new government emerged in Damascus that was secular, protected minorities and was willing to recognise Israel while not demanding back the Golan. Would you still support the idea of settling Bashan?

I do not want to answer a hypothetical fantasy. The problem is not only the government in Damascus, but also the jihadist forces and their supporters throughout Syria. A secular statement from a future government would not erase the security threat on the ground. Israel cannot base its survival on promises from Damascus. The Bashan is strategic depth, and Jewish settlement there is the strongest guarantee that northern Israel will remain secure.