PM to Obama: I look forward to continuing to work with you

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday to congratulate him on his re-election earlier this week, saying that the election victory "was a vote of confidence in your leadership."

Netanyahu told Obama that he was looking forward to continuing work with him to address the challenges facing the U.S. and Israel and to advance peace and security in the Middle East.

In a speech earlier in the day, Netanyahu said some of his critics "were trying to cause conflict between [Israel] and the United States" by saying he had shown preference for Obama's Republican challenger Mitt Romney during the U.S. election campaign.

"They won't get away with it," Netanyahu said, in remarks that appeared to be directed mostly toward former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who is considering running in the upcoming Jan. 22 Knesset election, which polls predict Netanyahu will win.

Officials in Jerusalem said that the Israel would continue to "work as usual" with the U.S. following Obama's re-election. Israeli officials estimated that Netanyahu would not change the positions he has taken on the Iranian nuclear program and the peace process with the Palestinians, even if the Obama administration was to apply new pressure.

Palestine Liberation Organization representative Nabil Shaath told Israel Radio on Friday that Obama's re-election marked a personal defeat for Netanyahu and that the prime minister would now have to change his behavior toward the U.S.

Shaath claimed that Netanyahu has acted as if he could do as he pleased and the U.S. would lend its support. "He bet on Romney, but perhaps now he will have to re-think his positions and actually try to commit to peace."

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