Netanyahu Revives Controversial Altalena Issue Amidst Political Deadlock Ahead of Elections

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reignited the contentious issue of the Altalena ship, a symbol of internal Israeli conflict from 49 years ago, as part of his election campaign strategy. Despite previously promising national unity and the historical directive by Menachem Begin to move past this painful chapter, Netanyahu is using the Altalena controversy to deepen political divisions. The naval operation to salvage the Altalena would be a complex and costly endeavor, potentially costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of shekels and impacting the defense budget, though experts doubt it will be executed before the upcoming elections.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu is avoiding pressing current issues, such as the illegal delay in re-electing the State Comptroller following a Supreme Court ruling two months ago. The Comptroller's office remains frozen, unable to process complaints or publish audit reports, as Netanyahu fears losing parliamentary support for the appointment. After the Likud primaries, he no longer holds a guaranteed majority in the Knesset, even for routine decisions like the state protocol budget.

The government is also stalling on approving election-related decisions, including the defense budget, which has increased by billions of shekels quarterly due to escalating fronts, notably Turkish and Dutch tensions. This delay may be a tactic by Netanyahu to blame the opposition for national irresponsibility. Aside from orchestrated market events with pre-selected audiences, no significant economic initiatives are expected before the elections. The government’s four-year inaction suggests no major policy moves will occur in the remaining two months before voting.