Altalena Affair

Altalena model The Altalena Affair was a violent confrontation that took place in June 1948 between the newly-formed Israel Defense Forces and the Irgun , a paramilitary Jewish group. The confrontation involved a cargo ship, Altalena , captained by Monroe Fein , which carried weapons and fighters for the Irgun.

The Altalena Affair was a violent confrontation that took place in June 1948 by the newly created Israel Defense Forces against the Irgun (also known as IZL), one of the Jewish paramilitary groups that were in the process of merging to form the IDF. The confrontation involved a cargo ship, Altalena , captained by Monroe Fein and led by senior IZL commander Eliyahu Lankin , which had been loaded with weapons and fighters by the independent Irgun but arrived during the murky period of the Irgun's absorption into the IDF. The Altalena lay on its side in shallow water off the coast of Tel Aviv for several months, but then Ben-Gurion ordered the navy to drag it out to sea and sink it.

The Altalena Affair was a violent confrontation that took place in June 1948 by the newly created Israel Defense Forces against the Irgun (also known as IZL), one of the Jewish paramilitary groups that were in the process of merging to form the IDF. The confrontation involved a cargo ship, Altalena , captained by Monroe Fein and led by senior IZL commander Eliyahu Lankin , which had been loaded with weapons and fighters by the independent Irgun, but arrived during the murky period of the Irgun's absorption into the IDF. The Altalena lay on its side in shallow water off the coast of Tel Aviv for several months, but then Ben-Gurion ordered the navy to drag it out to sea and sink it.

Violent confrontation in Israel in 1948 Belligerents Israel Defense Forces Irgun Commanders and leaders David Ben-Gurion Yigael Yadin Menachem Begin Monroe Fein Strength unknown unknown Casualties and losses 3 killed 16 killed 200 captured Model of the Altalena The Altalena Affair was a violent confrontation that took place in June 1948 by the newly created Israel Defense Forces against the Irgun (also known as Etzel), one of the Jewish paramilitary groups that were in the process of merging to form the IDF. The confrontation involved a cargo ship, the Altalena , captained by ex-US Navy lieutenant Monroe Fein and led by senior Etzel commander Eliyahu Lankin , which had been loaded with weapons and fighters by the independent Irgun, but arrived during the murky period of the Irgun's absorption into the IDF. The Altalena lay on its side in shallow water off the coast of Tel Aviv for several months, but then Ben-Gurion ordered the navy to drag it out to sea and sink it.

Violent confrontation in Israel in 1948 Belligerents Israel Defense Forces Irgun Commanders and leaders David Ben-Gurion Yigael Yadin Menachem Begin Monroe Fein Strength unknown 800–900 Casualties and losses 3 killed 16 killed 200+ arrested The Altalena Affair was a violent confrontation that took place in June 1948 between the newly created Israel Defense Forces and the Irgun (also known as Etzel), one of the Jewish paramilitary groups that were in the process of merging to form the IDF. The confrontation involved a cargo ship, the Altalena , captained by ex-US Navy lieutenant Monroe Fein and led by senior Etzel commander Eliyahu Lankin , which had been loaded with weapons and fighters by the independent Irgun, but arrived during the murky period of the Irgun's absorption into the IDF. Nineteen Israelis, three of them IDF soldiers and 16 of them Irgun members, were killed in the confrontation. The incident brought the newfound Israel to the brink of civil war. The Altalena lay on its side in shallow water off the coast of Tel Aviv for several months, but then Ben-Gurion ordered the navy to drag it out to sea and sink it.