This blog post by journalist Asaf Shimoni, independent contributor to the Times of Israel, suggests a surprising link between Israel’s neglected periphery and the high incidence of kibbutzim located there. He posits that the government has intentionally marginalized and under-serviced areas surrounding the kibbutzim in order to obliterate the lingering movement which undermines the present-day state. In light of his argument, it seems the “periphery” is less determined by geography than by political affiliation.