Irgun is a Zionist paramilitary group that operated in Mandatory Palestine (1931–1948), known for high-profile attacks against British rule and Palestinian targets, and contested in legacy debates today.
The Altalena ship, a flashpoint in 1948 between Irgun and the new Israeli state, has been rediscovered with ongoing political reverberations. Netanyahu and rival Ben-Gvir are leveraging the find to shape the current election narrative, while historians stress the enduring significance of the 1948 clash.