Southern Israel has been in a one sided war for the past 7-8 years with Hamas in Gaza Strip. The Hamas terrorist group was elected into government and is in charge of Gaza Strip. Sderot (and other southern Israeli towns) has been induring daily Qassam rocket and mortar attacks for years and Israel has sat back and hardly done anything except "warn them" to stop. There have been days during this last wave of attacks from Gaza that Israel has been hit with over 60 rockets a day.

This is what Israel has been dealing with for years:

Barak Obama visits Sderot:

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE). Mr. Obama (INAUDIBLE). Would you accept a situation like this in one of the American towns stuck in the states (INAUDIBLE)? Do you think Israel should negotiate with Hamas in Gaza? OBAMA: I don't think any country would find it acceptable to have missiles raining down on the heads of their citizens. The first job of any nation state is to protect its citizens. And so I can assure you that if -- I don't even care if I was a politician. If somebody was sending rockets into my house where my two daughters sleep at night, I'm going to do everything in my power to stop that. And I would expect Israelis to do the same thing. In terms of negotiations with Hamas, it is very hard to negotiate with a group that is not representative of a nation state, does not recognize your right to exist, has consistently used terror as a weapon, and is deeply influenced by other countries. I think that Hamas leadership will have to make a decision at some point as to whether it is a serious political party seeking to represent the aspirations of the Palestinian people. And, as a consequence, willing to recognize Israel's right to exist and renounce violence as a tool to achieve its aims. Or whether it wants to continue to operate as a terrorist organization. Until that point, it's hard for Israel, I think, to negotiate with a country that -- or with a group that doesn't recognize Israel's right to exist at a country.

The Israeli counter strike that started Saturday, came in response to a barrage of rocket and mortar fire (more than 300 in a single week!) from Hamas-controlled Gaza to southern Israeli towns (and 10 times that number over the past year). Israel warned Hamas Friday that it was verging on an invasion of the Gaza strip but that didn't stop the rockets. The initial wave of attacks Saturday focused on Hamas security installations and rocket- launching pads. Most of the casualties were Hamas militants who mostly operate against Israel from civilian areas, which is what leads to their civilian casualties. Unfortunatly, innocent people are being killed on both sides. The difference is, for Palestinian terrorists, the innocent are the targets. Late Saturday, thousands of Gazans received voice mails in Arabic on their cell phones from the Israeli military, urging them to leave homes where militants might have stashed weapons.

Benyamin Netanyahu explains Israels point of view:

Do I think peace can ever be achieved?
Israel and Egypt are at peace. Israel and Jordan are at peace. When both sides are willing to talk, peace CAN happen. Israel almost signed a peace treaty with the Palestinians. A Palestinian state would have been formed as the result of a proposal made by US President Clinton in December of 2000. The proposal was accepted by Israel, but was not accepted by the Palestinians. Instead the Palestinian answer to a peace treaty was the renewal of Intifada 2. Suicide bombers on public transpertation, in restaurants and on the streets of Israel.

Will going back to the pre 1967 borders help?
As for the "1967 pre-war line" (48-67), the "West Bank" belonged to Jordan and the Gaza Strip to Egypt. Not the Palestinians. In 1947 they were offered a state by the UN and refused. After the 48 war The Arab states could have intergrated the "refugees" but didn't. The Palestinians could have asked for independance from Jordan/Egypt, but they didn't. The Palestinian Liberation Orginization was formed in 64, three years BEFORE Israel captured those areas during the 67 war (who exactly did they want to be liberated from???). Even before 1967 Israeli civilians were attacked by terrorist orginizations which were named "Fadayun". In 2004 Israel left Gaza completly and returned to the 67 border lines in that area, hoping it would be a new start for peace between us. As we all can see, that hasn't happen. Since our withdrawl they have launched around 5000 rockets and 2500 mortor bombs at our civilians. Going back to the 67 border lines on all fronts isn't an option for peace. As the saying goes "Those who refuse to learn from history are bound to repeat it".

War is bad, no arguement, but sometimes there is no alternative. Israel didn't ask for this war. We held back year after year as Southern Israel was being bombed. The 1st and 2nd grade children living there have no recolection of a time when bomb shelters and warning sirens weren't an active part of their lives. It's a sad reality and one that needs to change. Good or bad, right or wrong, this latest strike was inevitable and if you ask the families in Southern Israel they will say it was long overdue. I tend to agree.
Death of innocent people is sad, no matter what side of the border it's on. I don't hate Palestinians and I have no doubt there are many good people in the Gaza strip, unfortunately these are not the ones who hold power or have any say.
FYI- Even now, as the rockets fall on our citizens, Israel (as it always has) is still suplying Gaza with electricity, water, food, gas and medicine. May G-d bless our soldiers and keep all innocent civilians safe on both sides of the border.