Raising the Altalena: Netanyahu digs up sunken 1948 arms ship in ‘pre-election stunt’
- Eight decades after driving a fledgling Israel to the brink of civil war, the Altalena has suddenly resurfaced in the run-up to elections widely regarded as the most consequential in the nation’s history.
- An arms-smuggling ship, the Altalena was sunk off the coast of Israel in 1948 after a deadly confrontation between the country’s nascent army and the right-wing Irgun militia, led by Menachem Begin.
- It has served as a foundational symbol for the Israeli right ever since.
Unverified
- Eight decades after driving a fledgling Israel to the brink of civil war, the Altalena has suddenly resurfaced in the run-up to elections widely regarded as the most consequential in the nation’s history.
- An arms-smuggling ship, the Altalena was sunk off the coast of Israel in 1948 after a deadly confrontation between the country’s nascent army and the right-wing Irgun militia, led by Menachem Begin.
- It has served as a foundational symbol for the Israeli right ever since.
Sources: France 24