Netanyahu Issues Separate Statement on Altalena Discovery Amid Tension with Minister Ben Gvir

Ahead of a joint press conference marking the discovery of the Altalena shipwreck, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a separate statement condemning annual incitement heard outside the memorial ceremony. Netanyahu questioned whether lessons had been learned from the past and emphasized the message "Never a civil war," linking the historic Altalena affair to current public discourse.

However, the event was overshadowed by visible tension between Netanyahu and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. According to Ben Gvir's associates, Netanyahu avoided physical contact and declined to appear in a joint photo with the minister, insisting on delivering his statement alone outside the venue. Ben Gvir's team criticized this behavior as reminiscent of past political ostracism, suggesting Netanyahu's actions indicate a political shift toward Benny Gantz's camp.

During the press conference, Ben Gvir highlighted the Altalena as a symbol of the national camp that had been marginalized and silenced over the years. He recalled Menachem Begin's principle of "brothers we are, no civil war," underscoring the importance of unity despite disagreements.

The Altalena shipwreck was located after months of a complex maritime search led by Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu and Roni Sade, head of Israel's Maritime Mapping Department. The ship sank off Tel Aviv in June 1948 amid a violent confrontation between the newly formed Israel Defense Forces and the Irgun, with 16 Irgun members and three IDF soldiers killed. The discovery of the wreckage at a depth of 503 meters revives a historically contentious episode from Israel's founding period.

The Altalena affair remains a potent symbol of early Israeli political divisions and the struggle to unify disparate military factions after independence. Netanyahu's separate statement and the ensuing friction with Ben Gvir reflect ongoing political sensitivities surrounding this legacy.