Ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Amichai Eliyahu, presented details of the operation to locate the Altalena and the findings discovered at sea at a press conference on Monday evening.
The ship was located intact overnight at a depth of 503 meters on Israel's western coast, during a maritime search operation following months of planning and preparations.
The vessel was located using a ship equipped with special sensors and advanced survey systems. The expedition was launched at the initiative of Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu and managed by Roni Sadeh, director of the Marine Mapping Division at the Survey of Israel.
At the same time as the press conference, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a separate statement at the same location outside the Etzel Museum, in order to avoid being photographed with Minister Ben Gvir.
Ben Gvir criticized Netanyahu in his speech, saying: “Begin also knew what it was like to be boycotted. People sit with you in the most closed rooms-and when the moment of truth comes, they don’t want to be photographed with you."
Netanyahu said in his statement that the Altalena affair demonstrates the importance of unity. “The unity among us is much broader than it appears, and it is essential so that we can face the great challenges that still lie ahead of us. Therefore, we must establish a broad national government to ensure our future and our security. I pledge to work for the unity of Israel."
The Altalena arrived in Israel in June 1948 carrying immigrants, including Etzel fighters, as well as weapons and military equipment. Sixteen Etzel members and three IDF soldiers were killed in the confrontation surrounding the ship.
The Altalena was purchased in the United States in the summer of 1947 by an Etzel organization and had originally served as a US Navy tank landing ship. In June 1948, it sailed for Israel carrying approximately 930 immigrants, as well as large quantities of military and medical equipment.
After it reached Israel’s shores, a dispute arose between the Etzel leadership and the government over the weapons aboard the ship. Following clashes at Kfar Vitkin, the ship reached the coast of Tel Aviv, where exchanges of fire resumed on June 22, 1948. The ship was shelled and caught fire, and its remains were later sunk off the coast of Nabi Rubin.