The government of Israel, in my view, made the right decision at the right time to try to restore the deterrent capabilities of the Israel Defense Forces and the quiet in our country, if only for a limited amount of time. Sderot, together with other border towns, was among the first to suffer the wrath of the murderers, who have no qualms about launching rockets against civilians, including children and the elderly, with the aim of killing them. Operation Cast Lead in 2008-9 sharpened the IDF's deterrence and brought relative calm to the south, which lasted around 18 months. That operation gave us the opportunity to develop and build additional wonderful towns in the south and fortify them, as well as bolster our overall sense of purpose in developing areas that our ancestors settled before us. Operation Pillar of Defense was launched due to the determination of the government and international support for the right type of operation at the right time. The government has backed an operation that the IDF believes will bring quiet to the south and protect Israel's sovereign borders. The entire country should be united in support of this operation, which is meant to rebuild our military deterrence and help southern residents live their lives in peace. When these aims are realized, citizens will be able to acknowledge that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised and delivered. The writer is the mayor of Sderot.