White House Avoids Congratulating Netanyahu During CNN Interview

CAMEROTA: "Let's talk about the news out of Israel. It appears that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pulled off a win and a surprisingly big win, much bigger than the polls there had been suggesting. Given all the tension between Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Obama in the recent weeks and months, is it fair to say that there is not a massive celebration happening at the White House this morning with this news?"
SIMAS: "Alisyn, we want to congratulate the Israeli people for the democratic process, for the election that they just engaged in with all parties that engaged in that election. As you know now the hard work of coalition building begins. Sometimes that takes a couple of weeks and we are going to give space to the formation of that coalition in the government and we are not going to weigh in one way or another except to say that the United States and Israel have a historic and close relationship and that will continue going forward."