The Palestinian leadership will "reevaluate" the peace process with Israel following the U.S. veto on the draft UN resolution that would have condemned Israeli settlements as illegal, the Jerusalem Post has reported.
"We will reevaluate the entire negotiation process," senior Palestinian official Yasser Abed Rabbo said. "The [U.S.] decision was miserable and unbalanced. It damages the credibility of the U.S. government."
The Obama administration vetoed on Friday the draft resolution saying it "risks hardening the positions of both sides." The 14 other Security Council members voted in favor.
The construction by Israel in the Jewish settlements located on the West Bank of the River Jordan is regarded as the main obstacle to the possible resumption of peace talks between Israeli and Palestinian authorities.
The Palestinian UN observer, Riyad Mansour, criticized the move saying it could "encourage further Israeli intransigence and impunity."
Russia has backed the draft resolution calling against any "unilateral steps" ahead of the peace talks.
"We believe it is essential to continue the efforts to unblock the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations in an effort to promote the Middle East settlement," Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
GAZA, February 19 (RIA Novosti)
