The United States and Israel have long had a 'special relationship'. The US became the first country in the world to recognize the state of Israel in 1948, and has been an important ally and benefactor ever since. A critical component of the special relationship is the pro-Israel lobby. Although the lobby has been a controversial topic in public affairs, it has been widely understudied. Israel's Armor fills a gap in the existing literature by examining the origins and early history of the Israel lobby, looking at its influence on American foreign policy, and weaving its activities into the diplomatic history of the first generation of the Palestine conflict. Covering the period roughly from World War II to the pivotal June War, 1967, Walter L. Hixson demonstrates that the Israel lobby from the outset played a crucial role in mobilizing US support for the Zionist state.

‘This outstanding book provides abundant evidence of how the Israel lobby has shaped US foreign policy in ways that are not in the American national interest. Hixson is especially good at showing how a select group of pro-Israel Americans profoundly influenced President Lyndon Johnson, who was like putty in their hands.'

John J. Mearsheimer - R. Wendell Harrison Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science, University of Chicago

‘Hixson's gripping account of the rise of the Israel lobbies and their enormous impact on US policy toward the Mideast is meticulously documented and expertly grounded in American political and diplomatic history. He threads his way across a minefield of controversy with the sure touch of a judicious historian, making his account a must-read for all future commentators on this contentious issue.'

Juan Cole - Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History, University of Michigan

‘Israel’s Armor is essential for understanding the uniqueness of the US-Israeli relationship and its effects.'

D. E. Jenison Source: Choice

‘… exciting and deeply researched … sheds important light on the power of domestic interest groups to shape U.S. foreign policy and public opinion, as well as to function effectively as nonstate actors that have independent relationships with foreign governments.’

Lauren Turek Source: H-Diplo