Yes, but how many of us have actually read both of those books-and remember specifically what they said?
My somewhat hazy recollection of The Wealth and Poverty of Nations is that it did cite culture as a very important reason some societies did better than others, although there was no explanation of what might give rise to those cultural differences, or of why a country’s culture would change drastically to cut off innovation.
I have no clue as to how Guns, Germs, and Steel relates to the differences between Israelis and Palestinians.