Altalena

Altalena was the pen name of Zeev Vladimir Jabotinsky (1880-1940), leader of the movement Zionist revisionist, which was in favor of the armed struggle against the United Kingdom and opposite division of Palestine agent.

It is in remembering their Jabotinsky inspirer, that the Irgoun (clandestine organization armed with the right-hand side revisionist in Palestine agent) named Altalena a boat which the organization used until in 1948 to import weapons clandestinely. This boat is scuttled the June 20th 1948, according to the order of David Ben Gourion, become the first Prime Minister of the young State of Israel on May 15th. In the context of the unification of an Israeli national army amalgamating the Haganah, the Irgoun and groups it Stern- Lehi, the Altalena boat arrives at broad of Tel Aviv, charged with weapons and 800 immigrants. Under the terms of discussions, the Atzel movement of Menahem Begin refuses to give its loading of weapons to the news Tsahal. Expressing his refusal of the existence of several armed factions, Ben Gourion then makes shoot at the militants from Irgoun June 21st and 22nd 1948, when those try to unload the weapons. The boat is cast. At the time of the attack against the boat, there are 18 died: 16 members of Irgoun and 2 soldiers of Tsahal. Eytan Haber, in its book " Menahem Begin" , the implication of Yitzhak Rabin in this tragic episode recalls.

the quarterly review of the movement studied Tagar (right Zionist) also bears this name, in remembering Jabotinsky.

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