U.S. President Donald Trump responded to incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s apparent victory, saying: “Bibi Netanyahu, it looks like that race has been won by him and maybe a little early but I’m hearing he’s won it and wanted in good fashion, so he’s been a great ally and he’s a friend. I’d like to congratulate him, that was a well fought out race, I could tell you, but it looks like Bibi has won that race.”
The American leader also noted that Netanyahu’s re-election would serve to further his so-called “deal of the century” that aims to end the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict – an initiative that according to many conflicting reports – that could not be verified by TV7 – “is expected to be unveiled by mid-June.” According to the U.S. President: “So, the fact that Bibi won I think we’ll see some pretty good action in terms of peace. Look, everyone said, and I never made a promise, but everybody said you can’t have peace in the Middle East with Israel and the Palestinians. I think we have a chance and I think we have now a better chance with Bibi having won.”
In the West Bank city of Ramallah, however; Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat claimed that the Israeli elections clearly proved the refusal of the Israeli people to accept a two-state solution with the Palestinians. Erekat said: “I think we have just witnessed clear cut vote by the Israelis to maintain the status quo as far as we Palestinians are concerned.” / “I think there are only eighteen seats in the hundred and twenty seats Knesset that support two state solution on the 1967 lines; that means 102 seats in the Knesset don’t support the two-state solution on the 1967 lines.”
In the city of Hebron, where Israelis and Palestinians live side-by-side, several Palestinian residents that were willing to respond claimed that Netanyahu’s election victory will continue to widen the rift between Israelis and Palestinians. That said, they admitted that they do not trust any Israeli leader, regardless of the party platform or their declared aspirations. Palestinian resident of Hebron Mohammad Zahedi said: “The Israeli elections reflect results that have already been decided a while ago, when Netanyahu was called to go to Washington, and these elections if they indicate anything is that there is hatred and aggression against the Palestinian cause, and these elections do not change anything for us, the Palestinian people.” Nader Imam, another resident of the area was quoted as saying: “All the Israeli leaders, all of them work against the Palestinian people. Specifically, this government, with Netanyahu’s lead, it has confirmed that they do not want peace, and have gathered all the extremist right wing parties with Netanyahu. We do not expect that they will initiate peace with the Palestinian people.”