mr. mcdonough president obama, you are completely delusional about the world as it is. you're negotiating with the iranian regime and the president's new year's greeting to the iranian people called for them to speak out in support of a nuclear deal. mr. president, don't you understand that in iran, you can't speak out. that if you do speak out and petition your government, you will get shot or put in jail? you don't understand that? you're talking to people as if they have a voice. you're talking about the regime as if there is some kind of rational actor. in that same year's greeting, he complimented the regime headed up by the ayatollahs as being cooperative in terms of their nuclear negotiations with the p p5-plus-one. what the president didn't mention is this terror is spreading terror unlike any time in recent memory. they are wreaking havoc on the neighborhood. as we negotiate on their nuclear deal, they are still the largest state sponsor of terrorism. they called for death to america two days ago. so to the obama administration, wake up and change your policies

mcdonough declaring that an occupation that has lasted for almost 50 years must end. his remarks came after the president vowed to reassess the u.s./israeli relations in light of mr. netanyahu's comments on palestinian statehood during his re-election campaign, and as top administration officials suggested the u.s. could withhold support for israel at the united nations. we're back with dan henninger and bill mcgurn. editorial board member dorothy rabinowitz also joins the panel. bill, i would have thought in the wake of an election victory benjamin netanyahu, he won in a big way, you'd want to calm things down. restore ties, put some of the -- you know, the ill feeling behind us. behind them. >> right. >> he's not. so what's the president thinking here? >> i think the obvious thing which we don't take into account, he beliefsves it. the chief of staff speaks for the president. i actually believe that. >> when you say what does he believe -- >> i think he believes that -- what they have said in the last four years, israel is an unjust occupier. israel is an obstacle to peace. israel is no longer worthy of automatic u.s. support at the u.n. i think the president be

mr. netanyahu's pre-election comments saying he would not support a palestinian state. white house chief of staff dennis mcdonough said yesterday that they cannot pretend these commence were never made and added that the occupation that has lasted more than 50 years must end. now these are very strong statements. clearly. talk to us about how this is also playing out and how it has really changed the relationship each more between the united states and israel. >> reporter: absolutely. we've seen netanyahu backtrack on both commence. first the commence about arab voters on election day. then the commence he made right before election day when he said there would be no two-state solution under him. he's tried to backtrack the two-state solution comments. the white house rejected that backtracking. he's apologized for the comments he made about arabs. the white house not the only one not accepting the apology. the joint arab list one of the strongest parties -- parties that made the strongest showing in the elections rejecting his apologies. again, comments that infuriated many here and in the united states certainl

mr. ambassador since the prime minister's appearance before congress, have you spoken to either denis mcdonoughabout the appearance and about healing this rupture, this apparent rupture, between israel and the united states? >> no. not since two days ago. i'm sure i'll speak to them in the days ahead. you know, we have good relations with the united states and the administration. they've been ongoing. had policy differences. certainly a big disagreement on the issue of the best way to prevent iran from developing a nuclear weapon but we'll work through the disagreements. big disagreements with the united states in the past but our alliance is always emergealed stronger because we share common values and when you listen to what the iranian so-called moderate foreign minister has to say, you understand how important two countries who share values how important it is for them to stand together. >> joe has one more question. >> one more question for you. you have somehow gotten in the middle of this dispute and now reports out of israel that white house officials believe you're firing the replaceme

mcdonough, chief of staff of the white house last night. what do you want? >> how in the world account white house come to the conclusion that mr.served with lhonor and distinction? i mean this is years after the fact. they knew he had had similar problems like this in the past. you have people that have been killed. i mean imagine the families of people who went out to search for this person? because they knew -- they knew. and so for her, susan rice, to come out before the country and the world and try to sell the american people on the idea that he served with honor and distinction, that begs a lot of questions. and if there is a justifiable answer, then provide it to the congress, provide it to the american people. we have a right to know. >> well, susan rice has not been a reliable spokesperson for the white house in the past when they talked about going back to the benghazi thing, yeah, it was all caused by that video. maybe she's having some problems with the facts. >> but -- that's why we want to give the administration an opportunity to explain. >> what do you want from them? >> we want to see the documents. what was th

mr. netanyahu needs to put his money where his mouth is, if he's serious about the two-state solution stop settlement they must organize palestinian on the lines to live side by side. >> listen to denis mcdonought he also said today. i will play a clip. this is the white house chief of staff. >> no nation has done more to stand with israel and the world including at the united nations, than the united states. so as difficult as it is the united states will never stop working for a two-state solution and lasting peace that israelis and palestinians so richly deserve. >> you agree with him on that? you want a two-state solution. i know you are meeting with officials from the white house and state department. how do you revive this peace process now in the aftermath of netanyahu's re-election? >> the prime minister of israel tells me that a palestinian state establishment is not on my watch, what option does he have? >> now he says he does want a two-state solution. >> but he has done nothing but undermine the two-state solution. he increased settlement active toy by 40%, more than any time before. >> you know he blames the palestinian authority, the plo for forging this alliance with hamas in ga