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.