Daniel Levy, Haaretz, October 9:
Walt and Mearsheimer explain Bush Middle East policy as Israel-lobby driven. Another way to look at it would be: This is the first Republican administration since the Christian evangelical Zionists emerged as a potent force in the GOP; since the mainstream pro-Israel community, which contained a sizable and senior neocon presence, planted itself firmly on the Likud right; and a hawk was ensconced in the Israeli Prime Minister’s Residence. Then came 9/11 and the swagger and hubris that followed an apparently easy military victory in Afghanistan. This was a potent mix. These actors can all be described with some accuracy as pro-Israel, but they are also all different, and charting a future course is helped by recognizing that difference.
The lobby finds its match
