Obama delays congratulating Netanyahu on election win
The White House said US President Barack Obama will call Netanyahu to congratulate him on his Likud party’s election “in the coming days.” The administration will evaluate its approach on the Middle East peace process “following Netanyahu's recent statement that there would be no Palestinian state under his watch,” said spokesman Josh Earnest. He said Obama administration does not believe that the Netanyahu victory would have a substantial impact on the nuclear talks with Iran. It was deeply concerned by the use of “divisive rhetoric” in the election that “sought to undermine Arab Israeli citizens.”
Secretary of State John Kerry did call Netanyahu with congratulations.