Were it not for the Iron Dome and the civil defense who prevented large scale losses on the Israeli home-front, we, too, would have suffered hundreds of casualties and possibly thousands of wounded civilians.
The Hamas abandoned the population of Gaza. Instead of sharing the hundreds of tunnels which they dug undergrounds (the British during WWII called on the civilian population to use the London Underground during the Blitz).
Instead, they deliberately did just the opposite. It was their choice to build tunnels in houses, hide armament and rockets in mosques, schools and medical facilities. This resulted in the killing of innocent citizens in Gaza, fully aware that the Israeli Air Force will retaliate heavily to the endless barrage of rockets hailed on Israel.
The world refuses to understand the small number of civilian casualties in Israel. We wisely prepared a defense mechanism that proved itself, thus saving Jewish and Arab lives in towns and villages all over Israel.
I call on the population of Gaza who suffered so much: we do not wish to hurt civilians, women and children. We trust and believe that it is possible to rehabilitate Gaza, improve and enhance the quality of life for all the residents. To bring about peace and human dignity as neighbors living side by side with us in safety and security.
Yet even at the cost of positive international support, we will not place our heads under the guillotine.
We will not dismantle the Iron Dome and all other means of protection of our people when thousands of missiles are hailed at us.
Peace is achieved by people who aspire to make it happen and who understand that a peaceful solution will be beneficial to both parties making them both the winners.
Ruth Rasnic is an Israeli writer, political and social activist, and a pioneer in the struggle against domestic violence in Israel. Rasnic founded L.O. - Combat Violence Against Women, and the first shelter in Israel for battered women. She was granted the Israel Prize in 2009 for her life's work.