Dershowitz: Obama, McDonough Acting Like 'Petulant Children'

White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough's contention this week that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is doing an about-face on his remarks on the eve of the Israeli elections that he opposed a Palestinian state is ludicrous, Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz said Wednesday on Newsmax TV's "America's Forum."

"Both the president and his chief of staff are acting like petulant children rather than statesmen," said Dershowitz. "A statesman takes two statements – one by Netanyahu saying he opposes the two-state solution and then the second one saying he doesn't – and always the statesman will focus on the positive and say thank you so much for clarifying, let's move forward, let's emphasize what you said most recently."

"Even Israel's staunchest enemies now think that the Obama administration, and particularly President Obama, is overplaying its hand, it's acting immaturely and is not producing anything that would lead in the right direction.

"Republicans are correct in pointing that out and holding the president's feet to the fire."

Netanyahu has also not changed his tune on a deal with Iran or a two-state solution with the Palestinians, but rather shown that he is an astute negotiator, according to Dershowitz.

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