Netanyahu and Ben Gvir Clash Over Altalena Commemoration Amid Political Tensions

Seventy-eight years after the Altalena ship sank, its discovery has sparked a contemporary political dispute between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. Both attended events marking the historical find but did so separately, with Netanyahu delivering a filmed statement outside the official ceremony organized by Ben Gvir. Ben Gvir's team criticized Netanyahu's absence from the main event as "embarrassing."

During the official ceremony, Ben Gvir referenced the persecution and boycott faced by Menachem Begin, implicitly criticizing Netanyahu by saying Begin knew what it was like to be excluded from the same stage despite close ties. Netanyahu, in his separate statement, focused on the ship's history, recalling that David Ben-Gurion ordered fire on the Altalena, resulting in the deaths of 16 Irgun fighters and three IDF soldiers. He also condemned recent disruptions at the annual memorial, accusing political opponents of inciting against him and desecrating the event.

Netanyahu highlighted his role in the Altalena's rediscovery, noting that in 2009 he established the Heritage Department at the Prime Minister's Office and in 2019 allocated special funds to resume the search, culminating in locating the shipwreck after 78 years. Meanwhile, Ben Gvir framed the discovery as a historic closure for the national camp, emphasizing the Altalena as a symbol of a movement long marginalized and silenced.

Ben Gvir linked the ship's story to Menachem Begin's experience of internal persecution but stressed Begin's call to avoid civil strife, quoting his directive: "We are brothers. There will be no civil war." Ben Gvir also shared a personal connection, recalling his mother Shoshana's role as an Irgun fighter and the legacy of both heroism and discrimination he grew up with. He concluded by urging strength against external enemies while maintaining unity within the nation, honoring Begin's legacy.