Seven government ministers, led by Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, wrote to Defense Minister Israel Katz requesting that he order the transfer of the IDF cannon that fired on the ship Altalena, to the Menachem Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem. The minister acceded to the request, according to Yediot Aharonot.
It was reported that, "The minister instructed his staff to transfer the cannon to the Menachem Begin Heritage Center, so that it will express the true meaning of the event out of deep appreciation for the work and legacy of the late Menachem Begin, who prevented a civil war."
The cannon, known colloquially in Israel as 'The Sacred Cannon' is currently displayed at the Command and Staff College at Camp Glilot, and on the sign placed next to it is Begin's quote "Anything but civil war."
The Altalena was a ship that sailed from France to Israel and carried about 930 immigrants on board, including Holocaust survivors, alongside a large quantity of military equipment. Begin demanded that part of the weapons be transferred to the Irgun, and the late Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion refused and ordered the ship to be bombarded. Despite the IDF shelling, Begin ordered his troops not to return fire.
The Heritage Minister expressed satisfaction with the decision. "This is a correction of a historical injustice that lasted 77 years. The cannon that fired on the Altalena will finally be moved to its proper place - the Menachem Begin Heritage Center. This is not just a physical change of location, it is the restoration of historical truth to its place."
"For years, the cannon was displayed as a symbol of the prudence that prevented a civil war, while the truth is the opposite - the civil war was avoided not because of the firing, but despite the firing. It was avoided thanks to Begin's immediate decision not to return fire, thanks to the supreme restraint of the Irgun members. From now on, anyone who visits the Begin Heritage Center will learn that sometimes true heroism is not in the power of fire but in the power of restraint. True leadership is measured not by victory over a brother but by the concession that saves a nation. Thank you to the Defense Minister for answering my request and having the courage to correct the historical narrative", Eliyahu said.