Former minister of defense Amir Peretz suggested Israel should "return to the policy of targeted strikes against high-ranking members of [the Hamas] organization." Claiming that "After a sleepless night of air-sirens and after rockets fired from Gaza it is obvious Israeli deterrence wore off", Peretz said these things in a public statement released Saturday. During the year he served as defense minister (2006 - 2007) Peretz approved the creation of Iron Dome, the defense system now being used to defend southern Israel from Hamas rockets. Peretz called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "offer a strategy for the long duration" to counter Hamas.
