U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's winning re-election was "a good sign for peace."
"Everybody said you can't have peace in the Middle East with Israel and the Palestinians. … I think we have now a better chance with Bibi having won," Trump said.
"He's been a great ally and he's a friend. I'd like to congratulate him on a well-thought-out race," Trump continued. Later Trump called Netanyahu form Air Force One to congratulate him.
Trump made the remarks to reporters at the White House hours after Netanyahu secured a fifth term in office, which will likely make him the longest-serving prime minister in Israeli history.
Trump flags being waived at the Bibi @Netanyahu VICTORY celebration last night! pic.twitter.com/SX8RVAALYW
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 10, 2019
Earlier on Wednesday, Trump's National Security Adviser John Bolton said the administration's peace plan was likely to be released soon. "I think we're going to see that coming out in the very near future," Bolton said on Wednesday.
Netanyahu's Likud party got a projected 35 seats, up from 30 in the current Knesset.
Initial exit polls initially predicted a tight race on Tuesday night, showing that the Blue and White center-left bloc would get more seats than Likud, but as the votes came in it became apparent that Likud and its allies had secured a majority in the Knesset.
An almost complete tally has both Likud and Blue and White tied at 35.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz was the first world leader to congratulate Netanyahu, tweeting:
"Congratulations to Prime Minister @netanyahu for an excellent showing in yesterday's national elections. While the official results have yet not been published, one matter is clear: you have once again gained the trust of the people of #Israel in record numbers. I am looking forward to working with you in the future, for the benefit of the people of Israel and the people of Austria."
Congratulations to Prime Minister @netanyahu for an excellent showing in yesterday's national elections. While the official results have yet not been published, one matter is clear: you have - once again - gained the trust of the people of #Israel in record numbers.
— Sebastian Kurz (@sebastiankurz) April 10, 2019
Earlier on Wednesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu urged Israel to abandon strong "rhetoric and populism" now that the elections were over.
Çavuşoğlu's comments were in an apparent reference to Netanyahu's recent pledge to annex Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria if he won the election.
The minister told Turkey's NTV news channel on Wednesday that Israel "must put aside the populism and the rhetoric, it must abandon its aggressive stance."
Çavuşoğlu also called on the United States to be an "honest broker" in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying a U.S. peace plan for the region must be fair and objective toward Palestinians.
Also Wednesday, an aide to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said the outcome of Israel's election raised Palestinian fears about an Israeli annexation of parts of Judea and Samaria.
Abbas aide Ahmed Majdalani says that Palestinians would seek the help of the international community to try to block any annexation plans. He said that the outcome of the election means a boost for what he called the "extreme right-wing camp" in Israeli politics.
