Netanyahu apologizes to Arab community – and is rejected

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who won an election lead to form the next government, apologized Monday for a comment he made during his campaign. He warned in a Facebook video that Arabs were voting in "droves” and right wing rule was in danger. In a last minute appeal, he called on Likud supporters to go out and vote. His comments drew US President Barack Obama’s condemnation.

"I know that my statements last week offended some Israeli citizens and members of the Arab Israeli community,” Netanyahu said Monday at a meeting with Arab Israelis. “That was never my intention. I apologize for that."
Ayman Odeh, deputy leader of the Joint List which groups Israel's main Arab parties and won 13 seats in parliament, rejected the apology.

The US president also denigrated Netanyahu’s campaign remark that there would be no Palestinian state while he was in office. 
  .