Honorable Speaker of the Knesset, Reuven Rivlin,
Chairman of the IZL Soldier’s Alliance, Dr. Efraim Even,
Bereaved Families,
IZL Fighters and their families,
Distinguished Guests,

There are moments in a nation’s history during which the judgment of a captain can shape its face and future for years to come, especially with regard to formative events.

The sinking of the Altalena is one of those formative events.

Without a doubt, the loss of the ship and its weapons and the shock felt by the fighters – both detracted from our ability to fight.  However, Menachem Begin’s decision to hold fire added to our ability to fight.  One can ask what would have happened had he decided differently.

It is a story that combines considerable sorrow, pain and frustration, but also a feeling of appreciation.  Menachem Begin was a farsighted, responsible, brave and restrained leader.

It is significant that Menachem Begin, one of the greatest leaders the Jewish people ever had, defined the decision he made while commander of the bombed ship as the most important decision of his life.

Even if many did not know it at the time, his decision to hold the IZL fighters’ fire was by and large one of the most important decisions in the life of our nation.  Even 61 years after the reverberation of the gunfire that brought an end to the IZL ship Altalena’s journey, it feels as if the echoes of that same event, the whispers of that same confrontation are still present, still heard, still piercing.

It is worth repeating Menachem Begin’s words, spoken on the IZL radio station after the sinking of the Altalena while the pain of the loss of our fighters was still agonizing: “We will continue to love the people of Israel and we will continue to fight for the people of Israel.  But I will admit the truth – this is the first time I am not certain I will succeed in convincing my people.  I will do all I can because the war is for everything; because the people are in existential danger.  You too must help me convince my people.  Help me convince them that Hebrew weapons must not be used against Hebrew fighters.  Each person will stand beside our soldiers – all our soldiers – until they come together again and become one nation, one fighting camp.”

Even today, 61 years since 16 of our fighters soldiers fell on that bitter day, it seems to me that the message left to us by Menachem Begin on the beaches of Tel Aviv is crystal clear: we will never approve of civil war; a Jew will never point a weapon at his brothers; no other a military force will operate in our country other than the army of the Jewish people; and we will do everything in our power to unify our people.

My message today is exactly the same: faced with great challenges, Israel needs unity: unity of purpose, unity of forces and unity of our people who bond together to ensure our future.

We remember the fallen, those lost on the Altalena.

May their memories be blessed.