Habithonistim, a pro-sovereignty group of former Israeli officers, on Sunday issued an unusual call, urging the government to permit the entry of the pro-Palestinian flotilla that departed Barcelona for Gaza — under specific conditions.
According to the movement, such a step could transform the crisis into a moral and diplomatic opportunity. “From a moral standpoint, and under international law, war refugees must be allowed to leave combat zones. Therefore, for Israel’s international standing, adopting the maritime route as a channel for refugees could serve as an appropriate solution to the challenge,” the statement read.
The group also added that conditioning the flotilla’s entry on the evacuation of refugees aligns with both American and Israeli policy encouraging voluntary emigration from Gaza.
“Making entry conditional on the removal of refugees will absolutely meet US and Israeli goals to promote voluntary migration, while also taking a humanitarian approach. Nothing is more humanitarian than enabling an escape route from Hamas’ clutches,” the movement stressed.
However, Habithonistim noted that the process must be carried out under strict security supervision.
“All that is required is inspection of the ship’s cargo upon arrival and verification of those departing on board, to prevent the smuggling of hostages to another country,” the statement concluded said.