John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt’s article “The Israel Lobby” (London Review of Books, March 2006) sparked a firestorm of controversy on both sides of the Atlantic, drawing heated criticism and praise.

Broadening the debate with new research and more detailed discussions of the role of the oil lobby; the Iraq War; U.S. policy toward Lebanon, Iran, and Syria; and what a new relationship with Israel would look like, the book that followed generated even more extensive commentary and became a national bestseller. Raising provocative topics for your reading group, The Israel Lobby and U. S. Foreign Policy exposes important realities regarding Middle East policy, the power of lobby groups, and the American political process itself. Arguing that the remarkable level of financial and diplomatic support that Israel receives from the United States cannot be fully explained on either strategic or moral grounds, the authors further maintain that such support actually undermines the long-term interests of both countries. Fostering an open dialogue about one of America’s most taboo political topics, The Israel Lobby and U. S. Foreign Policy offers bold insights into crucial geopolitical issues facing world leaders today.