It began as Operation Swords of Iron. And now, over a year and a half later, since Hamas’s invasion of Israel and massacre of 1,200 people on October 7, 2023, the operation beginning anew in Gaza is called Operation Gideon’s Chariots. It’s a powerful name.
A symbolic name, as are many of the monikers given to Israeli operations over the years. A name chosen for its historical reference. A name intended to inspire the soldiers and reservists called to duty in defense of the Jewish homeland.
Israeli leadership tends to name their military operations using profound terms, literary symbols, and oftentimes biblical images. Exactly how these operational names are chosen is a bit of a mystery.
The selection of operation names
The Mossad, we are told, is responsible for naming its own operations. Conventional wisdom has it that the names of IDF operations are chosen by a committee. Of late, I hear, a computer spits out naming options.
Operation Wrath of God was given to an operation conducted by the Mossad between 1972 and 1979. During this operation, agents were charged with finding and then assassinating those terrorists, enemies of Israel, responsible for the massacre of Israeli athletes in Munich during the 1972 Olympic Games. The name says it all. Three words that summon up the sentiments of all Israelis after the massacre of Israeli stars at an international sports event that symbolized unity.
Operation Shevet Achim (literally, Brothers Dwell Together in Unity), was officially translated by Israel as Operation Brother’s Keeper. The operation began as Yad Le’achim (Give Your Brother a Hand). The operation, which involved the dismantling of Jewish Gaza, turning it over to Palestinian rule, extended from August 17 to September 12, 2005. This was the Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip, a military operation conducted by the IDF.
Operation Swords of Iron. The name alone evokes strength. The IDF loves the image of the sword. That explains why many of the symbols of IDF’s units utilize the sword, an ancient symbol of strength. Now, many months later, the operation has exchanged a sword for a chariot and uses a different metaphorical message.
Biblical roots of Gideon
Operation Gideon's Chariots is a name that resonates, with its roots in the Bible. This operation invokes imagery of the great biblical warrior Gideon, whom God enlisted to defeat the brutal and powerful Midianites. We read in the Book of Judges that Gideon trounced the Midianites with just 300 men.
Using Gideon’s name in this Gaza operation is significant. Gideon did not defeat the Midianites with thousands of warriors; he defeated them with strategy, tactics, skill, and ingenuity. He had them turn on one another and then tapped into their fears. They fled in fear for their lives.
In the beginning, Gideon had 25,000 soldiers. He whittled them down to 300, using two separate tests. First, he spoke to them, saying: If you are afraid, leave, go home. Then 15,000 potential warriors left, leaving him with the remaining 10,000 recruits.
He told the recruits to drink water from a local water source. All those who knelt and lapped up the water with their faces or their tongues in the water were released and sent home. Those who cupped the water with their hands passed his final test.
This was not an issue of polite behavior or proper etiquette. Those who squatted down and drank, putting their heads and tongues to the water, were left defenseless and vulnerable. Those who cupped the water in their hands were still able to observe their surroundings while drinking.
Those 300 brave and faithful soldiers executed a plan. They surrounded the Midianite camp at night. Each soldier was armed with a shofar, a clay pot, and a torch. In unison, they blasted the shofars, broke the pitchers, and lit their torches, giving the Midianites the impression that they were surrounded by a huge army. The Midianites panicked and fled.
Operation Gideon’s Chariots is a fitting name for what we all hope to be the final stage of the war in Gaza against Hamas. The IDF is using Gideon and his men as role models. His force displayed bravery, planning, strategy, and tactics in the face of daunting odds. And Gideon’s army had faith in God.
It might be surprising to learn that there were no actual chariots in Gideon’s battle, as described in the early chapters of Judges. That was the entire point of the story. The Midianites had far superior weapons and soldiers. What they lacked was what Gideon and his soldiers had: bravery, wisdom, a very good plan, and faith in God. They were fighting for the right cause.
Today, like Gideon, the IDF is fighting for that same cause – they are fighting evil in Gaza.
The writer is a columnist and social and political commentator. Watch his TV show, Thinking Out Loud, on the Jewish Broadcasting Service.