Jerusalem ( CNN ) After a bitter campaign , Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is claiming victory as his main rival Isaac Herzog concedes . Many questions linger about exactly what this means for U.S.-Israeli relations and Israel 's standing in the Middle East . CNN global affairs correspondent Elise Labott has been covering the Israel election in depth and took to Facebook to answer your questions about the election . Here are five highlights from the chat : . 1 ) How did the race go from exit polls saying it was a neck-and-neck race to Netanyahu claiming victory within a matter of hours ? I know , right ? It 's a great mystery as to how the exit polls got it so wrong . There 's one pollster here in Israel named Avi Degani who predicted that Netanyahu would win all along . He said that the polls here in Israel rely too heavily on modern methodology and are n't really suitable for people outside city centers like Tel Aviv . There 's also the question of whether Netanyahu gained more seats because of the 11th-hour push to the right . Part of the explanation is that he cannibalized votes from the other right-wing parties . Also worth noting that Israeli elections always have surprises . In the last election , no one predicted the amazing turnout for Yair Lapid , whose Yesh Atid party won 19 seats . This time , he only won around 11 . Why were the election polls so wrong ? 2 ) What does Netanyahu have planned for his next term ? That 's the $ 6 million question . The Obama administration was waiting for the election to be over to see who they would be dealing with . They knew even if Prime Minister Netanyahu won re-election , they would need to re-engage with him . I think both sides realize that the U.S.-Israeli relationship is too important to continue as it has been . But I think the tone Prime Minister Netanyahu sets now will dictate how the White House deals with him . Opinion : Will Netanyahu win seal Iran deal ? 3 ) What is Netanyahu 's plan regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict ? In the final days before the election , Prime Minister Netanyahu made a big push to energize his right-wing base . He promised that there would not be a Palestinian state under his watch , backtracking from a commitment he made in 2009 for a two-state solution . Now the right wing that helped keep him in office is going to be looking for him to deliver on his campaign pledge . It 's not encouraging . Now that he has a new mandate , perhaps he will feel more confident to explore possibilities with Palestinians . However the unilateral moves Palestinians have taken since the collapse of peace talks last summer does n't give him much encouragement either . 4 ) Was Netanyahu 's statement about not recognizing a Palestinian state a political move to get votes , or a true ideal he wants to hold up ? It 's a great question that nobody knows the answer to just yet . Even the Netanyahu camp would admit that they made a conscious effort to reach out to right-wing voters , many of whom do not want to see a Palestinian state . For many years Netanyahu has at least agreed to negotiate with the Palestinians , even if sometimes actions like continued settlement activity call into question his true commitment . It remains to be seen whether Netanyahu considers his re-election as a mandate from the right to govern in this hard-line way or whether he will try to soften these hard-line positions . In the hard-line way is how he appeared in the final days of the campaign . 5 ) As an American , what impact do the Israeli election results have on me ? In other words , why do I need to care ? I think Israel is a very important ally of the United States in a region where there is a hell of a lot of turmoil . The U.S. looks to Israel as a stable democracy with whom it shares , for the most part , similar values and interests . Clearly the relationship between Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Obama has soured the ties between the two nations . Whether the two leaders can repair the relationship now that Netanyahu has been re-elected will , in large part , dictate how they work together . As an American , whether the U.S. has a friend in this volatile region does impact our national security . Read the full chat : .
CNN 's Elise Labott holds Facebook chat about Americans election results . She answers questions about why polls were wrong , why Israeli should care .