Palestinian Authority to 'reconsider' relations with U.S.: president

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said that the Palestinian Authority will reconsider bilateral relations with the United States "in light of its unyielding support for Israel," the official news agency WAFA reported Saturday. 

He made the remarks in an interview with WAFA after the U.S. vetoed a draft United Nations resolution advocating for full membership for Palestine in the organization.

Abbas denounced the U.S. move as "disappointing, regrettable, shameful, irresponsible, and unjustified," saying it was a blatant aggression against the rights of the Palestinian people and a challenge to "the will of the international community."

He stressed that "we will reconsider bilateral relations with the United States to ensure the protection of the interests of our people, our cause, and our rights."

The president also slammed U.S. support for Israel in its aggression against the Palestinian people by providing Israel with weapons and funds, stating that it "will not bring security and peace to anyone."

He noted that the "hostile positions" taken by the U.S. "have generated unprecedented anger among the Palestinian people and the region's populations," potentially pushing the region towards further instability and chaos.

Abbas underscored that it is only with a just solution to the Palestinian issue that stability could be promoted in the region, adding that the Palestinian leadership "is going to develop a new strategy to protect Palestinian national decisions independently and follow a Palestinian agenda rather than an American vision or regional agendas."

The 15-member Security Council voted on a draft resolution on Thursday recommending to the 193-member UN General Assembly that "the State of Palestine be admitted to membership of the United Nations."

The draft resolution received 12 votes in favor, two abstentions and one vote against.

A council resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the United States, Britain, France, Russia or China to pass. The United States used its veto power after the draft secured 12 votes in favor. 

China, Slovenia, Sierra Leone, Russia, South Korea, Mozambique, Malta, Japan, Guyana, France, Ecuador and Algeria voted in favor, passing the threshold of nine required. Britain and Switzerland abstained on the resolution.

(With input from Xinhua)