There still has been no public reaction from the White House on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s turnaround victory yesterday as other world leaders are sending their congratulations.
Netanyahu’s Likud party finished with 30 seats in the Knesset, with the main challenging Zionist Union party winning 24 seats.
“Congratulations my friend Bibi @netanyahu! Recall our New York meeting last September warmly,” tweeted Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi.
European Union High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini sent out a statement: “I congratulate Benyamin Netanyahu for his victory. I look forward to the formation of a new government.”
British Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted his congratulations as well. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper tellingly noted “Israel has no greater friend” than Canada.
The White House sent David Simas, an aide not often seen on the networks and director of the Office of Political Strategy and Outreach, on CNN this morning to congratulate Israel for voting.
“We want to congratulate the Israeli people for the democratic process for the election that they just engaged in with all the parties that engaged in that election,” Simas said. “As you know now, the hard work of coalition building begins. Sometimes that takes a couple of weeks. And we’re going to give space to the formation of that coalition government and we’re not going to weigh in one way or another except to say that the United States and Israel have a historic and close relationship and that will continue going forward.”
The administration focused today on unveiling a new manufacturing initiative, with Obama delivering remarks in Cleveland.
Congratulations my friend Bibi @netanyahu! Recall our New York meeting last September warmly.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 18, 2015
PM: Congratulations to @netanyahu on election result. As one of #Israel’s firmest friends, UK looks forward to working with new government.
— UK Prime Minister (@Number10gov) March 18, 2015
I congratulate PM Netanyahu on his election results. We look fwd to working w/ the gov’t once formed. Israel has no greater friend than Cda.
— Stephen Harper (@pmharper) March 18, 2015
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