"The organization of regional defence is another vital element in Israel's overall defence system. Without it the security of the country would have been seriously impaired – and the structure and size of the army would have had to be quite different. It would have been difficult indeed to defend Israel's lengthy borders if it were not for the frontier kibbutzim, smallholding farm settlements and villages. In the absence of strategic depth, these border settlements serve as Israel's shock absorbers, deterring, holding or absorbing the first wave of incursion or attach. Mainly agricultural, though some engage in light industry, they are small, compact, self-contained societies, forming a single economic, social and military unit.
On the military side, these settlements are organized as defence units. For the children and other non-combatants, there are underground shelters. For the combatants, there are enough arms on the spot for self-defence. During Israel's three wars, and in the between-war periods, many of these settlements came under attack, and all stood up well. Even in times of tension and emergency, the settlers do not abandon their fields; and even in times of quiet they do not relax their vigilance. Aiding them are the Border Guards, a patrol formation belonging to the Israel Police Force. Without this regional defence system of border settlements, the army would have to disperse its troops along all the borders, which would leave it with only a small concentration of force to carry out is main task of dealing with the basic defence problems of the state." (p. 24)"
