Merkel congratulates Netanyahu
צילום: רויטרס
Germany's Merkel urges Bibi to pursue peace
German leader phones Netanyahu, urges him to back two-state solution
German message to Bibi: German Chancellor Angela Merkel phoned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to congratulate him on taking office.
During the conversation, Merkel reportedly urged Netanyahu to continue the peace process vis-à-vis the Palestinians and back the two-state solution.
The German Foreign Ministry said Merkel invited the new PM to visit Berlin. Netanyahu accepted the invitation, but a date for the visit had not yet been set.
'It won't be easy'
On Thursday, an American official said The United States will push hard for Palestinian statehood despite a new rightist government in Israel, but added that the US anticipates a rough road ahead.
"We're going to be working hard to see what we can do to move the process forward. But we're under no illusions. It's not going to be easy," said State Department spokesman Robert Wood.
"We have to engage constantly and remind the parties of their obligations and to try to set up a framework, a process for getting us toward that goal of a two-state solution," Wood added, referring to the goal of separate Israeli and Palestinian states, living side by side in peace.
Reuters contributed to the story
