Gideon’s Chariots: How Israel Weaponises Biblical Symbolism to Justify Genocide in Gaza

As Israel escalates its war on Gaza, the Israeli military has named its latest operation “Gideon’s Chariots” — a title loaded with religious, political, and historical implications. The name is far from incidental; it reflects a pattern of invoking Old Testament symbols to frame Israeli aggression as divinely sanctioned and morally superior.

The operation, officially endorsed by Israel’s security cabinet on 6 May, aims for the full occupation of Gaza, the creation of a southern internment zone, and the forced displacement of the population — a blueprint that many experts warn could develop into a larger campaign of ethnic cleansing.

Why “Gideon”?

In Israeli military doctrine, the name “Gideon” carries heavy biblical weight. The story of Gideon appears in the Book of Judges in the Hebrew Bible, where he leads a small, faithful force to a miraculous victory against overwhelming Midianite forces. The narrative is often interpreted as a lesson in tactical brilliance, divine election, and victory through righteousness — not numbers.

For the Israeli military, invoking Gideon is a psychological tool to portray its military campaigns as righteous battles against evil, and to inspire morale through symbolism of “faith overcoming odds.” This is not the first time Israel has adopted this biblical framing. Past wars, operations, and even elite military units have carried the name “Gideon.”

But in this context, “Gideon’s Chariots” is not about faith — it’s about firepower and forced transfer.

The Biblical Gideon: A Symbol of Tactical Faith

According to Jewish tradition, Gideon was chosen by God during a time when the Israelites were under Midianite oppression. Despite his initial reluctance, Gideon led a group of just 300 men, selected by how they drank from a stream, to defeat a vastly superior enemy using torches, trumpets, and psychological warfare.

In the Old Testament, the victory was seen as divine proof that faith, not numbers, guarantees success. Gideon’s forces shouted, “For the Lord and for Gideon!” as they attacked, causing chaos among enemy ranks. His story is enshrined in Jewish theology as a tale of inspired leadership and divine mandate.

Parallels in the Qur’an: The Tale of Saul (Talut)

The story has remarkable similarities to the Qur’anic account of Talut, a divinely appointed king who was also tasked with leading a small group against a powerful enemy. The famous “river test” filtered the faithful from the weak, with only a few remaining to fight — among them the young Dawud (David), who would later defeat Goliath.

Both narratives emphasise spiritual selection, moral clarity, and triumph despite numerical inferiority. Yet, Israel’s invocation of these tales to justify military occupation and mass killing in Gaza strips these stories of their ethical core.

Netanyahu: A “Modern Gideon”?

Palestinian analyst Riham Awad argues that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu views himself as a modern-day Gideon — a “chosen leader” facing internal dissent but destined for triumph.

In a Facebook post, Awad wrote that Gideon, like Netanyahu, faced opposition within his own people, especially regarding conscription and military strategy. While Netanyahu may lead a secular lifestyle, he heavily leans on religious rhetoric to legitimise his policies, often referencing the Torah as a “historical deed” to the land of Palestine.

His government labels the West Bank as “Judea and Samaria”, claims East Jerusalem as Israel’s eternal capital, and uses scriptures like Genesis and Psalms to support settlement expansion and annexation.

“Gideon” in Past Israeli Operations

The name Gideon isn’t new in Israeli military history. During the Nakba in 1948, the Haganah launched Operation Gideon to capture the Beit She’an Valley. Led by the Golani Brigade, the offensive aimed to ethnically cleanse surrounding villages and block Jordanian advances. Most Palestinian residents were expelled, and the area was transformed into a Jewish settlement.

The Golani Brigade later established a “Gideon Battalion”, bearing the emblem of a tree, sword, torch, and trumpet — all symbols from Gideon’s biblical story. This unit has participated in nearly every major Israeli war.

In 2015, the Israeli army launched the “Gideon Plan”, a multi-year restructuring strategy under Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot. The plan aimed to streamline the army, integrate cyber warfare, enhance combat efficiency, and adopt AI and big data in military operations. It also led to the formation of Israel’s equivalent to JSOC, a unified special ops command.

While the plan focused on modernisation, it drew criticism for lowering morale and downsizing key units — exposing tensions within Israel’s military doctrine.

Weaponising Faith to Justify War Crimes

By naming its current operation “Gideon’s Chariots,” Israel continues a dangerous tradition of religious militarism — one that weaponises faith to cloak genocide in divine legitimacy.

The mission’s stated goals — full occupation, population transfer, and mass destruction — stand in stark contrast to the principles of justice, dignity, and divine will portrayed in the stories of Gideon or Talut. Instead, they reflect a colonial mindset, repackaged in religious language to sell a war of annihilation to domestic and international audiences.