Newly re-elected Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists that relations between the U.S. and Israel remains strong, even though President Obama has not yet congratulated him on his election win.
“There are so many areas where we must work together with the United States,” Netanyahu told NBC’s Andrea Mitchell in a preview for a full-length interview slated to air Thursday evening. “America has no greater ally than Israel and Israel has no greater ally than the United States.”
Netanyahu said that although he and Obama have not spoken since his election victory, he was “sure” they would be in touch soon.
Relations have been strained for some time now, highlighted by Netanyahu’s recent visit to the U.S. to address Congress on the threat of a nuclear Iran.
Netanyahu also walked back comments he made, on the eve of the election, that he would not support a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians, that were not well received by the White House.
“I don’t want a one-state solution,” he said. “I want a sustainable, peaceful two-state solution.”
He also warned that “circumstances have to change” for that to happen.
“And every territory that is vacated today in the Middle East is taken up by Islamist forces,” he said. “We want that to change so we can realize a vision of real, sustained peace.”
