President Barack Obama’s call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday failed to end Obama’s concerns about Netanyahu’s pre-election disavowal of a two-state solution to the conflict with Palestinians.  

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said again on Friday the White House is reconsidering how it acts in the United Nations and elsewhere in light of Netanyahu’s pre-election comments, and Earnest wasn’t about to grant a mulligan after Netanyahu said in a round of interviews Thursday that he actually does want a two-state solution.  

Asked why not just take Netanyahu at his (latest) word, Earnest quipped, “Well, I guess the question is which one? … He was quite clear that he did not envision a scenario where a two — a Palestinian state would be established while he was the prime minister of Israel.”  

Earnest also shrugged off Speaker John A. Boehner’s planned trip to Israel .  

The 114th: CQ Roll Call’s Guide to the New Congress


Get breaking news alerts and more from Roll Call in your inbox or on your iPhone.