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Every book Shibley Telhami recommended on podcasts
Shibley Telhami appeared on The Ezra Klein Show to analyze Middle Eastern politics, Israeli-Palestinian dynamics, and regional governance, concluding his insights with three timely book recommendations. Telhami first recommended Diana B. Greenwald's Mayors in the Middle, praising its brilliant examination of indirect Israeli control over Palestinian territories and how it powerfully illustrates the reality of a single-state dynamic. Next, he recommended Omer Bartov's book Israel: What Went Wrong?, noting that he read the galleys prior to its publication and found it to be a powerful, interpretive analysis of Israel's historical trajectory and contemporary political crises. Finally, Telhami recommended Tomorrow Is Yesterday by Hussein Agha and Robert Malley, commending the authors as seasoned analysts with deep governmental experience in American foreign policy regarding Israel, Palestine, and Iran. Through these recommendations, Telhami provides listeners with a deeply informed reading list focused on understanding the complex geopolitical realities and historical missteps shaping the Middle East today.
Books recommended by Shibley Telhami
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Israel: What Went Wrong?
Israel: What Went Wrong? by Omer Bartov is a critical interpretation examining the historical trajectory and contemporary political realities of Israel.
Recommended“The second book is by Omer Bartov. Omer has a New book. It’s called "Israel: What Went Wrong?" It’s coming out this month. I happened to read the galleys before it came out, and it’s very powerful kind of interpretation of what happened in Israel, a country that was essentially, in part built to protect Jews globally and in fact”
Where to get it
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Mayors in the Middle
Mayors in the Middle by Diana B.
Recommended“The first book is by Diana Greenwald, "Mayors in the Middle," which is really about the indirect Israeli control of Palestinian territories. And she does that in a brilliant way, in a way that kind of brings home why it is a one state reality.”
Where to get it
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Tomorrow Is Yesterday
Tomorrow Is Yesterday by Hussein Agha and Robert Malley is a geopolitical analysis examining the pursuit of peace, conflict, and the breakdown of negotiations in Israel and Palestine.
Recommended“The third book is by Hussein Agha, Robert Malley. "Tomorrow is Yesterday." These are two seasoned analysts. Robert Malley, of course, served in the US government for many years on israel-palestine as well as on Iran. And I had advised the Palestinian delegation they had written together in the past. But this book is a powerful book, really about looking”
Where to get it
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reckoning With Israel’s ‘One State Reality’ | The Ezra Klein Show | The Ezra Klein Show | 2026-04-14 | 3 |