As noted by an Israeli colonel shortly after the War of Attrition, "The line was created to provide military answers to two basic needs: first, to prevent the possibility of a major Egyptian assault on Sinai with the consequent creation of a bridgehead which could lead to all-out war; and, second, to reduce as much as possible the casualties among the defending troops."
Som en israelsk oberst bemærkede kort efter Udmattelseskrigen: "Linjen blev skabt for at løse to grundlæggende militære behov: For det første at forebygge muligheden for et stort ægyptisk angreb på Sinai med etablering af et brohoved som kunne føre til en krig i fuld skala, og for det andet for at reducere tabene blandt de forsvarende tropper."