IDF admits: Settler activists crossed several meters into Lebanon, erected tents before being expelled by army

Settlement group wants to annex and settle southern Lebanon

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Members of the settlement group “Uri Tzafon” crossed several meters into southern Lebanon, filmed themselves erecting tents and planting trees before being driven back by IDF soldiers earlier this month, the army admitted.

This statement followed an initial claim that the activists hadn’t crossed the border and were only expelled because they entered a military zone.

On Wednesday, the IDF said “the civilians did indeed cross the Blue Line by several meters,” near the Lebanese village of Maroun al-Ras and Aitaroun. The group numbered around ten people, including several children.

The group, whose name in Hebrew means “Wake up, North,” says on its website that its ultimate aim is to settle southern Lebanon, which it says is part of the Israeli Galilee.

“In order to defeat the Iranian evil, and in order to stabilize the State of Israel for generations, we need to reach Lebanon. Southern Lebanon should be under Israeli control,” the group wrote.

Regarding the incident itself, the group wrote: “We embarked on the first field operation of its kind, with the aim of returning Jewish history to southern Lebanon. Together with dozens of activists, we crossed the border to the area of the village of Maroun al-Ras and set up an outpost called ‘Mei Marom,’ in memory of the ancient Hebrew settlement that was there.”

#عاجل ‼️ تذكير جديد إلى سكان جنوب لبنان انه حتى إشعار آخر يحظر عليكم الانتقال جنوبًا إلى خط القرى ومحيطها
🔸جيش الدفاع لا ينوي استهدافكم ولذلك يحظر عليكم في هذه المرحلة العودة إلى بيوتكم من هذا الخط جنوبًا حتى إشعار آخر. كل من ينتقل جنوب هذا الخط - يعرض نفسه للخطر
🔸وكذلك يرجى… pic.twitter.com/WLcCdbIjOM
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) December 16, 2024

Despite the ceasefire, the IDF currently still controls most of the areas its troops captured during the ground offensive in October and November, and several places on the Israeli side close to the border remain closed military zones with restricted access to civilians.

Under the agreement, the IDF has until January to withdraw all of its troops. The first withdrawal was carried out in the town of al-Khiam on Dec. 12.

פעילי עורי צפון, התנועה להתיישבות בדרום לבנון, צועדים לכיוון לבנון.

הצעדה התקיימה צפונית לקריית שמונה ביום שישי האחרון. pic.twitter.com/c9uzbJhtB5
— שיראל ללום נהיר🇮🇱 (@shirellaloom) April 21, 2024

Uri Tzafon has organized online conferences and demonstrations to call on the government to capture and settle southern Lebanon.

Throughout the war, the Israeli government reiterated that there were no plans to capture and settle areas in Lebanon or Gaza, and the ceasefire stipulated a full withdrawal of Israeli forces to the Blue Line.

This is a demarcation line mediated by the U.N. after Israel’s withdrawal in 2000 which functions as a temporary border until the countries agree to negotiate a final border.

*הוכחה שאזרחים חצו ללבנון*

בערוץ של מוריה אסרף ודורון קדוש עלתה הידיעה על קבוצה בשם "עורי צפון" שתקעו אוהלים באזור מארון א-ראס. זאת כדי לקרוא להקמת התיישבות יהודית בלבנון.
מצה"ל נמסר שהתמונה צולמה בארץ והם פונו לאחר שהפרו צו שטח סגור.

עשיתי גאו-לוקציה לתמונות שיצאו משם ונמצא… pic.twitter.com/RgNCGZ8PML
— Ben Tzion Macales (@BenTzionMacales) December 9, 2024

The IDF said on Wednesday the attempt to set up an outpost, which in all likelihood was a publicity stunt, was “a serious incident that is being investigated.”

“Any attempt to approach or cross the border into Lebanese territory without coordination is a danger to life and harms the IDF's ability to operate in the area and fulfill its mission,” the army stressed.

A military official also told Army Radio, “In recent weeks, several operations were carried out to block crossings in the fence, and troops were reminded of the procedures against [civilians] reaching the border area.”