When the Jewish people choose to respond to terror with a return to Jewish tradition, our enemies have much to fear. When G-d sees his children calling out to Him, not out of despair, but out of celebration and out of belief and hope in a better future, the Jewish people and the Land of Israel are smiled upon.
Many of the small Israeli towns surrounding Gaza were far from observant Jewish towns. They were quiet, pastoral and actually known for their dovish and peaceloving attitudes towards the Arabs in Gaza. Many Arabs worked in their communities, and there were many interfaith activities between the Jewish people of some of these towns and the Arabs they befriended.
Then one day, many of these very peace-loving Israelis were killed, tormented, raped, and kidnapped by the very people who used to work in their neighborhoods. To say that this was an eye-opening event is a major understatement. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis see the situation that Israel finds themselves in in a completely different light. They now see that Israel has nobody to talk or work with in Gaza – just a bloodthirsty enemy to defend against.