Altalena Sinking and Oslo Accords Share Anniversary Date

A significant date in Israeli history, the 17th of Elul, marks both the completion of the Irgun's (Etzel) disbandment and its integration into the IDF 78 years ago, and the signing of a preliminary agreement between Israel and the PLO 32 years ago, which was part of the Oslo Accords process. The Altalena ship incident, a pivotal event where the vessel carrying arms for the Irgun was shelled and sunk by the IDF off the coast of Tel Aviv in June 1948, occurred shortly before the full disbandment of the Irgun. Then-Major Yitzhak Rabin was involved in the events surrounding the Altalena, commanding IDF forces that defended the Palmach headquarters. While historical analyses suggest David Ben-Gurion gave the order to fire and other artillerymen operated the cannons, Rabin was part of the forces acting on the scene.

Seventy-eight years after the Altalena incident and the dissolution of the Irgun, the same Hebrew date, the 17th of Elul, reappeared in 1994. On this date, under a left-wing government led again by Yitzhak Rabin, the initial agreement with the PLO was signed, paving the way for partial Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank. The article draws a parallel between these two controversial events, both occurring on the 17th of Elul and associated with the same political bloc, highlighting the historical resonance of the date.

Recently, wreckage from the Altalena was discovered approximately 503 meters off the Israeli coast, prompting a reflection on the events of that day 78 years ago. The disbandment of the Irgun, including its Jerusalem battalion, signified not only a military integration but also the political marginalization of Menachem Begin's Freedom Movement for nearly three decades until the 1977 election upheaval. The article notes that pilots from the Machal (Volunteers) unit initially refused to carry out the order to attack the Altalena, leading to the decision to shell it from the shore.