Heritage should not divide us into camps, but instill in us its importance | Gideon Mitschnik

78 years after the sinking of the Altalena, Gideon Mitschnik writes about the central lesson from the affair: it is possible to disagree and argue, but the shared home must be protected. The article emphasizes the prevention of civil war thanks to Menachem Begin's declaration, and calls for turning heritage into a tool for unity, not division, especially ahead of the elections.

78 years after the sinking of the Altalena off the coast of Tel Aviv, Gideon Mitschnik writes an opinion article about the meaning of heritage and the central lesson from the event. The article describes the chain of events in June 1948: the arrival of the ship carrying hundreds of immigrants and weapons, the dispute over the distribution of arms between the Irgun and the IDF, David Ben-Gurion's fear of a rebellion that led to the order to fire, and Menachem Begin's declaration 'no to civil war' that prevented escalation. Mitschnik emphasizes that civil war did not break out, and this is a significant historical fact. He calls for turning the event into a 'national university for learning' – not for accusations and revenge, but for understanding different perspectives and drawing lessons. The article also refers to the Defense Minister's decision to move the 'sacred cannon' to the Irgun Museum in Shuni, and suggests establishing an ideological 'Heritage Party'. Mitschnik concludes that heritage should unite, not divide, and that mutual respect must be maintained even in disagreement.