Obama congratulates Israeli PM on election results

US President Barack Obama on Monday called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, congratulating him on his party's narrow winning in the elections, White House said in a statement. Obama spoke with Netanyahu to congratulate him "on his party's success in winning a plurality of Knesset seats in Israel's recent election," said the White House, adding the U.S. president " indicated" that Washington looks forward to working with the next Israeli government. Obama also reiterated his commitment to the "deep and enduring bonds" between the two countries, and pledged to work with Israel to pursue peace in the Middle East, said the White House. The telephone call came days after Israel's right-wing Likud- Beitenu union led by Netanyahu narrowly won the parliamentary elections. The winning has made Netanyahu the most likely person to build a ruling coalition in the new government. The rather hawkish Netanyahu has been threatening to use preemptive strikes to destroy Iran's nuclear facilities. However, Obama insists that there is still time and space for diplomacy. The different approach on the Iranian nuclear standoff has resulted in a notoriously frosty relations between the two leaders.