While the Altalena was en route to Israel, the three Jewish paramilitary organizations (Haganah, Irgun, Stern Group) agreed to form a unitary army – the Israel Defense Forces.

 

Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion consented to the docking of the ship, but a disagreement broke out over the allocation of the arms. Irgun Chief (and future Prime Minister) Menachem Begin wished for the arms to be distributed to the newly-incorporated Irgun battalions in the IDF, who had inferior equipment than that of their Haganah counterparts. Ben-Gurion refused and thought that this was a ploy by Begin to overthrow the government.

 

Meanwhile, the Altalena arrived at Kfar Vitkin and Haganah forces surrounded the area and issued an ultimatum to hand over the ship. Begin dismissed the ultimatum, not believing that the Haganah would use “any means at [their] disposal” to confiscate the weapons. A firefight broke out, leading the Altalena to set sail to Tel-Aviv where the Irgun had a more supporters.

 

When the Altalena reached Tel-Aviv on June 22, 1948, Ben-Gurion ordered that the ship be shelled. One of the shells made a direct hit on the ship, causing all those on board to abandon ship. Begin, who was on board, only agreed to leave once the last of the wounded had been evacuated.

 

Sixteen Irgun fighters and three Haganah fighters were killed during the Altalena Affair, which signified one of the darkest moments in Israeli history.