A competition has emerged within right-wing Israeli politics over associations with the Irgun militia, which was involved in violence against Palestinians during the 1948 war. On Monday, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir announced the discovery of the wreck of the Altalena, a cargo vessel that carried weapons for Irgun and was sunk by Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, in June 1948. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose Likud party claims lineage from Irgun, visited the Etzel Museum in Jaffa to address the discovery, releasing a video to connect the wreck's significance to his political base.
Netanyahu is facing challenges in the polls ahead of critical elections in October, compounded by potential legal issues related to corruption charges from 2019 and public dissatisfaction with his government's handling of security prior to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack. The Altalena incident, which nearly led to civil war over control of the weapons onboard, was referenced by Netanyahu as he sought to draw parallels between himself and Irgun's historical leaders.
Historians note that the divide between Irgun and the Israeli military reflects ongoing political tensions in Israel. The Irgun and another militia, Lehi, were responsible for significant violence during the Nakba, including the 1948 Deir Yassin massacre, where over a hundred Palestinians were killed despite a non-aggression pact.
Israeli sociologist Yehouda Shenhav-Shahrabani described the Irgun as a violent organization, but argued that attributing the entirety of the Nakba's violence to them overlooks the broader context of Zionist paramilitary actions. Current polls indicate that Netanyahu's Likud party is trailing behind the Yashar Party, led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, with far-right voters potentially playing a crucial role in the upcoming elections.
Experts suggest that the Altalena discovery primarily serves the rivalry between Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir, with Ben-Gvir taking the lead in the announcement and emphasizing their competition. Analysts note that both leaders are engaging in populist strategies, portraying themselves as victims to rally their supporters. The rhetoric surrounding civil war threats, while seen as largely symbolic, raises concerns about its potential impact on political violence in Israel. Netanyahu's history of incitement has drawn comparisons to past events, including the lead-up to the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995.