German Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed on Monday the importance of the two-state solution in ending the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. During a telephone call to congratulate Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on last week’s electoral victory, she highlighted the relevance of the two-state solution, saying that should be the goal of international peace efforts. Merkel also expressed her willingness to work closely with the incoming Israeli government. She invited Netanyahu to visit Berlin after the formation of a new government. During the final stretch of his election campaign, Netanyahu pledged for the first time to annex parts of the occupied West Bank in a desperate bid to rally his right-wing base. Netanyahu has reneged on election eve promises before, but should he follow through on this one, it would mark a dramatic development in the conflict.