Netanyahu vows to raise the ‘Altalena’ from the depths of the Mediterranean
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged on Monday to raise the Altalena from the depths of the Mediterranean Sea following the announcement that the vessel, which symbolizes a painful episode in the early history of the Jewish state, was found.
“She will be a tangible symbol for our generation and for generations to come; a tangible symbol of one simple commandment: civil war—never again!” Netanyahu said in a Hebrew-language statement.
“Today, finally, after 78 years, we have located the ship after it sank into the depths,” Israel’s longest-serving prime minister said after visiting the Etzel Museum in Tel Aviv.
“Never again” was the “heartfelt cry” of the Irgun’s commander and future prime minister of Israel, Menachem Begin, Netanyahu continued.
“He stood here on the shore, not far from here [the Etzel Museum on Nahum Goldmann St.], and he spoke these words in the face of the tragic decision by [Israel’s first prime minister] David Ben-Gurion to open fire on the rescue ship Altalena,” Netanyahu said.
“The ship brought significant weaponry for our soldiers in the War of Independence. But instead of unloading this vital weaponry, members of the ‘Haganah’ on the shore opened infernal fire on the Altalena, claiming the lives of 16 Etzel fighters and three [Israel Defense Forces] soldiers,” he continued.
“Etzel” is the Hebrew abbreviation of the paramilitary organization named the Irgun, which fought against British forces in the intention of forcing them out of the Land of Israel and establishing an independent Jewish state.
The Haganah was the main Zionist paramilitary organization and later made up the bulk of the newly formed IDF.
“For me—and I am sure also for you, citizens of Israel—this is an emotional, foundational moment,” Netanyahu said following the location of the shipwreck.
“Off the coast of Tel Aviv, the Altalena went up in flames; off the coast of Tel Aviv, brothers fell by the hands of brothers. But precisely out of the infernal fire, burst forth the immortal cry of the commander of the Etzel, Menachem Begin of blessed memory, to stop the firing that was taking place, to stop the entire course of the battle, because we will not go to a civil war,” the prime minister stressed.
“This is the great lesson of the Altalena. It is as true today as it was true then. Because division is weakness, and unity is strength,” he said.
“In recent years, I asked the Minister of Education to introduce the story of the Altalena into school textbooks to instill this lesson in the children of Israel,” the Israeli premier said.
He further stated that each year he attends the ceremony commemorating the “heroes” who fell during what has been called the “Altalena Affair.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement following the discovery of the ship ‘Altalena’, at the Etzel Museum in Tel Aviv: "My brothers and sisters, citizens of Israel, civil war – never again! This was the heartfelt cry of the commander of the Etzel, Menachem Begin. He… pic.twitter.com/XILbIK8EqO
A million shekels to discover the sunken vessel
The dramatic episode, which remains contentious to this day, took place on June 20-22, 1948, about a month after the second stage of Israel’s War of Independence broke out.
The newly created Israel Defense Forces shelled the Irgun arms ship off the Tel Aviv beach. About a year after the battle, the Altalena, which had run aground at the foot of Frischman Street, was refloated, towed 15 miles out to sea and scuttled at the order of Ben-Gurion.
Israel’s Heritage Ministry invested 1 million shekels to search for the remains, JNS reported on Aug. 25, 2025.
The ministry hired the Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research Institute, through the Survey of Israel—a state agency responsible for mapping—to locate the remains of the ship. Israel’s national research vessel, the Bat Galim, was deployed with advanced technology to find the wreckage.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans to raise the Irgun ship Altalena from the Mediterranean Sea, 78 years after it sank. The vessel, recently located with a 1 million shekel investment from Israel’s Heritage Ministry, symbolizes a pivotal moment in Israel's early history.
“She will be a tangible symbol for our generation and for generations to come; a tangible symbol of one simple commandment: civil war—never again!”
Netanyahu emphasized that the Altalena, shelled by the Haganah in 1948 during the War of Independence, represents the imperative to avoid civil conflict. He highlighted Menachem Begin's call to stop the firing, stating, “This is the great lesson of the Altalena. It is as true today as it was true then. Because division is weakness, and unity is strength.” The Prime Minister also noted that he has requested the Altalena story be included in school textbooks.
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