Return the Altalena to the sea
An opinion piece by Lior Ben Ami calling for the Altalena ship to be returned to the depths of the sea, arguing that renewed engagement with it stokes unnecessary brotherly conflicts in a sensitive period. The writer claims that historical parallels are dangerous, that today's political tools are more sophisticated, and that there is no need for creative connections to past wars. Alongside this, a search expedition for the ship years ago is described, in which the writer participated, along with conversations with experts on the political and historical significance of the Altalena.
An opinion piece by Lior Ben Ami, published on ynet, calls for an end to public engagement with the Altalena ship and for it to be returned to the depths of the sea. The writer argues that the renewed preoccupation with the ship, 78 years after its sinking, stokes unnecessary brotherly conflicts in a politically sensitive period. He warns against 'creative connections to wars from the past' and claims that 'our Altalenas have since evolved' and include modern tools like AI and GPS-guided rockets. Alongside the political argument, the article describes a search expedition for the ship years ago, in which the writer participated, about 20 kilometers off the coast between Tel Aviv and Bat Yam. The expedition included Dr. Royi Diamant from the University of Haifa and Kobi Sharvit from the Israel Antiquities Authority. Sharvit is quoted saying the ship is 'a capsule of politics' more than a historical capsule. The writer concludes with criticism of politicians from both sides who want to salvage the ship for political reasons.