No one here says Israelis deserve this horrific attack.

I think it is more accurate to say that the Israeli government set themselves up for this kind of tragic assault after allowing or tolerating the continual sabotage of every previous attempt at peace talks or better yet, forming a two-state solution and giving Palestinians autonomy over their own land and government. Progress would move forward, then a group of "Settlers" would encroach on another Palestinian orchard or village and start building and move in. Or a bomb would go off, sparking fighting. Every single time. This thumb in the eye approach always was enough to stir up Palestinians and fighting again breaks out. Hamas has had a large, captive pool of angry young men to convert to their terrorist ways.

What a small right wing extremist group has been able to do is keep the whole nation from settling on a peaceful coexistence. Much like what a small group of right wing extremists are doing in the US right now. The tail wagging the dog has caused this catastrophic situation, when an emboldened Hamas struck with impunity.