David Rodman (Israel Affairs) opined that though the book was hefty, it did not provide much information regarding Israel's diplomatic history or foreign policy during 1960s–1980s. He praised Avner for "[painting] compelling and insightful portraits of the different philosophies, motivations and reactions" of the book's subjects. George Gruen (American Foreign Policy Interests) called it an "ultimate insider’s account", "an outstanding work of political analysis of the intricacies of Middle East politics" and praised Avner for portraying the problems faced by the Prime Ministers. He recommended this book to everyone who wanted to have a deep understanding of contemporary Middle East. Asaf Romirowsky (The Middle East Quarterly) wrote that "The Prime Ministers gave [...] special insights into the internal, as well as personal, workings of the Jewish state and is of particular value for understanding the nature and complexity of the U.S.-Israeli alliance." Donald Macintyre (Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs) called it an "important documentary source for future historians". He opined that direct speech was used excessively and a "more ruthless editor" could have done better.
