Operation Cast Lead – Etymology

I’ve dealt with the military and political aspects here and international opinion here.

The name chosen for the operation is a pretty clever one, and while it just sounds like another rather meaningless name, it is somewhat of inside joke to Israelis. As the operation began on Hannukah, Cast Lead is a reference to a Hannukah song, Lichvod HaHannukah לכבוד החנוכה – in honor of Hannukah.

This is the relevant verse:

מורי נתן סביבון לי
סביבון מעופרת יצוקה.
יודעים אתם לכבוד מה?
לכבוד החנוכה!

Translation:

My teacher gave a dreidel to me
A dreidel [made] of cast lead.
Do you know in honor of what?
In honor of Hannukah!

NEXT: Arab and Jewish Worlds’ opinions, and Israeli public opinion.