Moshe (Bogi) Ya'alon
A former IDF Chief of Staff and Defense Minister who has transitioned from a security-hawk within Likud to a prominent critic of the Israeli government and right-wing policy.
Moshe (Bogi) Ya'alon is a central figure in Israel's security and political landscape, having served as the 17th Chief of Staff of the IDF (2002–2005) and as Minister of Defense (2013–2016). Born in Kiryat Haim, Ya'alon's military career was defined by his service in the Paratroopers Brigade and Sayeret Matkal. During his tenure as Chief of Staff, he led the IDF during the latter half of the Second Intifada, emphasizing a 'searing of consciousness' against Palestinian terror groups. Politically, Ya'alon initially joined the Likud party, representing a hawkish security stance that was skeptical of the Oslo Accords and the 2005 Disengagement from Gaza. However, his relationship with the political right fractured significantly during his time as Defense Minister, particularly following the Elor Azaria incident in 2016, which led to his resignation. Since leaving the Likud, Ya'alon has become a vocal opponent of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, joining various centrist coalitions and protest movements. In recent years, his rhetoric has shifted toward sharp criticism of the settlement movement and what he describes as 'Jewish supremacy' within the government. His recent comments regarding security incidents in Judea and Samaria, where he characterized certain events as 'Jewish terrorism' rather than Palestinian-initiated attacks, have sparked significant controversy and have been utilized by adversarial media networks to challenge Israeli security narratives.