Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hit back Wednesday after a damning report in The Atlantic claimed American officials had branded him a “coward” on tackling Iran and “chickens**t” who is only interested in his own political survival. “I am being attacked because I’m defending Israel,” Netanyahu told the Knesset.

“I respect our ties with the US,” Netanyahu said, but added, “I’m not ready to make concessions that would endanger our country.”

With regards to Jerusalem, where newly announced Israeli construction over the Green Line has only served to draw further American criticism, Netanyahu insisted that Israel respects religious freedom for all faiths. ” The IDF is the only army to occupy Temple Mount and not destroy it,” the prime minister said, referring to Israel’s sweeping victory in the 1967 Six-Day War.

“Our vital interests, first and foremost our security and a unified Jerusalem, are not the uppermost interests of the unnamed officials who attacked our government and me personally. I’m being attacked simply because I defend the State of Israel… Despite all the attacks against me, I will keep defending our country and Israel’s people.”

Video via Israel National News