Altalena Survivor Recalls Painful 1948 Ship Incident and Begin's Order Not to Fire

Yechiel Shapira, a survivor of the Altalena ship incident, shared emotional reflections with i24NEWS about the traumatic events he endured in 1948. Speaking with Sharon Gal, Shapira recalled the heavy burden of those memories even at his advanced age, describing the experience as deeply shameful and difficult to confront. He recounted how Menachem Begin, from the command room, gave the order that no Jew should fire upon another Jew despite the ship being bombarded. Shapira, who was wounded and stood beside Begin, said he initially advised not to remove weapons since only the Israel Defense Forces were present on shore, not Irgun fighters.

The Altalena ship was recently located intact at a depth of 503 meters off Israel’s coast after months of planning and a maritime search operation led by Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu and Roni Sade, head of Israel’s Maritime Mapping Department. The ship originally arrived in Israel in June 1948 carrying about 930 immigrants, Irgun fighters, and significant military and medical supplies. It was purchased in the United States in 1947 and served as a tank landing craft for the U.S. Navy before being acquired by the Irgun.

Following its arrival, a dispute erupted between the Irgun leadership and the Israeli government over the weapons aboard. After clashes in Kfar Vitkin, the ship reached Tel Aviv’s shores where fighting resumed on June 22, 1948. The Altalena was shelled, caught fire, and was eventually sunk near the coast of Nabi Rubin. The confrontation resulted in the deaths of 16 Irgun members and three IDF soldiers.

Shapira emphasized that the attack was intended to harm Begin and eliminate him, but Begin’s directive prevented further bloodshed among Jews. The recent discovery of the ship’s remains has brought renewed attention to this painful chapter in Israel’s founding history.