Altalena Shipwreck Found Off Israeli Coast After 78 Years, Reviving Historical Debate

The wreckage of the Altalena, a ship sunk off the coast of Israel 78 years ago, has been discovered at a depth of 503 meters, closing a painful historical chapter and reigniting interest in the controversial episode. The Altalena was originally an American tank landing ship (LST-138) used in World War II, later purchased secretly in the summer of 1947 by members of the Irgun (Etzel) organization. It carried approximately 930 immigrants and fighters, along with a large cache of weapons including 5,000 rifles, 4 million bullets, hundreds of machine guns, and extensive medical supplies.

The ship's name, Altalena, was the literary pen name of Ze'ev Jabotinsky, founder of the Revisionist movement. The vessel sailed from France during the "First Truce" of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, violating the ceasefire and risking Israel's standing with the United Nations. Its cargo and passengers were first unloaded at the shore of Kfar Vitkin before the ship proceeded south toward Tel Aviv.

Menachem Begin boarded the Altalena and forcibly prevented Irgun fighters from returning fire effectively during the shelling, aiming to avoid a civil war. The shell that ignited the ship was fired from a cannon later dubbed the "Holy Cannon" by David Ben-Gurion, a term that remains controversial. The ship did not sink immediately after the attack but remained stranded near Tel Aviv until it was deliberately scuttled a year later. After decades of unsuccessful searches, advanced mapping technology finally located the intact wreck today, marking a significant historical discovery.