The Lesson of the Altalena
78 years after the Altalena affair, Gadi Ezra's column examines the tension between sovereignty and unity in Israel, using the historical event as a parable for the current struggle over ultra-Orthodox conscription. The author argues that the Israeli consensus has distorted the lesson of the Altalena, prioritizing unity at the expense of sovereignty, and that the upcoming elections require a renewed balance between the two values.
78 years have passed since the Altalena affair, but Gadi Ezra's column on ynet argues that the fundamental tension between sovereignty and unity remains. The author recounts the event: in June 1948, the weapons ship 'Altalena' arrived off the coast of Israel, and Ben-Gurion insisted that the weapons be transferred to the IDF, while the Irgun wanted to transfer them to its battalions. The confrontation led to fire, the sinking of the ship, and 19 Irgun and three IDF casualties. Menachem Begin declared 'A civil war - never again.' Ezra argues that the Altalena embodied a conceptual shift: no longer a choice between unity in exile and tribalism in the land, but a combination of sovereignty and unity. According to him, the Israeli consensus has distorted the lesson and preferred unity at the expense of sovereignty, as reflected in the exemption from conscription, the education system, and taxation. The author links this to the current struggle over ultra-Orthodox conscription, warning that striving for unity must also include a choice for sovereignty. He concludes that the upcoming elections require an understanding that 'it's not either sovereignty or unity, it's both.'