David Jackson

USA TODAY

The White House is distancing itself from insulting comments that unnamed officials made about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a new magazine article.

The Atlantic quoted unnamed Obama officials as saying that Netanyahu is a "chickensh--" who is more interested in his political standing in Israel than he is in seeking peace in the region.

"Certainly that's not the Administration's view, and we think such comments are inappropriate and counter-productive," said Alistair Baskey, a spokesman for the National Security Council. "Prime Minister Netanyahu and the President have forged an effective partnership, and consult closely and frequently, including earlier this month when the President hosted the Prime Minister in the Oval Office."

White House spokesman Josh Earnest echoed those comments, noting that Obama has spoken with Netanyahu more than any other world leader.

For his part, Netanyahu says he will never compromise on Israel's security.

"I am being attacked because I am willing to defend the State of Israel," Netanyahu told the Knesset Wednesday, his first public comment since the posting of the article that underscored what look like rising tensions between the U.S. and Israeli governments.

In a piece headlined "The Crisis in U.S.-Israel Relations Is Officially Here," The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg quoted a senior Obama administration official talking about Netanyahu, using the prime minister's nickname: "The thing about Bibi is, he's a chickensh--."

Goldberg also reports that Obama administration officials do not believe that Netanyahu will launch a preemptive attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, a dispute at the heart of the breakdown in U.S.-Israel relations.

The U.S. and allies are negotiating an agreement in which Iran would pledge to forgo the ability to make nuclear weapons in exchange for a reduction in western sanctions.

Netanyahu and other Israeli officials fear the United States will make a bad deal that will still enable Iran to develop nuclear weapons, which they regard as an existential threat.

The Obama administration, meanwhile, has criticized Netanyahu for settlement and building policies in the West Bank and Jerusalem, saying they have undermined peace talks with the Palestinians.

Goldberg writes that "the relationship between these two administrations -- dual guarantors of the putatively 'unbreakable' bond between the U.S. and Israel -- is now the worst it's ever been, and it stands to get significantly worse after the November midterm elections."

He adds: "By next year, the Obama administration may actually withdraw diplomatic cover for Israel at the United Nations, but even before that, both sides are expecting a showdown over Iran, should an agreement be reached about the future of its nuclear program."

In a statement responding to the article, Baskey said:

"Obviously, despite the extremely close relationship between the U.S. and Israel, we do not agree on every issue. For instance, we have repeatedly made clear the United States' longstanding view that settlement activity is illegitimate and complicates efforts to achieve a two-state solution.

"The U.S.-Israel relationship remains as strong as ever, our security bonds have never been greater, and the ties between our nations are unshakable. We remain fully and firmly committed to Israel's security. And, Prime Minister Netanyahu has repeatedly affirmed that he shares the U.S. view that the best solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is to establish two states living side by side in peace and security."