White House: Netanyahu's election rhetoric 'deeply concerning'

The Obama administration on Wednesday signaled that its tense relationship with Israel remained rocky following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's upset election victory this week.

"Rhetoric that seeks to marginalize one segment of their population is deeply concerning and it is divisive," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said.

With his support lagging ahead of the election, Netanyahu veered to the right, vowing to reject a Palestinian state — in defiance of longstanding American foreign policy — and fearmongering about Israeli Arab voters.

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