Yoav Gallant Has Shown Defiance. Will He Again?

Last month, Yoav Gallant told Israelis that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was leading the nation astray. Mr. Gallant, the defense minister and a member of the war cabinet, accused him of letting the nation drift into a military and civilian occupation of Gaza, which would cost Israel “blood and many victims, with no aim.” He challenged Mr. Netanyahu to rule that option out.

In a government known for ironclad loyalty to the prime minister, and in the heightened intensity of war, Mr. Gallant’s statement made headlines. It also made him into a two-time whistle-blower of sorts.

In March 2023, Mr. Gallant became the most prominent member of the governing coalition to publicly call for a halt to Mr. Netanyahu’s attempt to undermine the judiciary, an effort that he said was harming the country’s security. When Mr. Netanyahu tried to fire him,