Raise the Altalena!

The Menachem Begin Heritage Center is beginning an effort this week to raise the sunken ship Altalena. The Altalena was an arms ship brought to Israel by the Irgun Tzvai Leumi (National Military Organization), which was then commanded by Menachem Begin. In June 1948, while the War of Independence raged, the ship was sunk by the Palmach unit (the precursor of the IDF) led by Yitzchak Rabin on the