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RAMALLAH. — A senior Palestinian official regretted yesterday the UN Security Council’s rejection of a draft resolution that urges Israel to withdraw from occupied Palestinian territories within three years.

The Palestinina draft resolution “can never be a unilateral step either by the Palestinians or by the Arabs. It is a legal right for the Palestinian people to establish their state,” Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told Xinhua. “The Palestinian leadership is urged to immediately launch alternative steps in light of what happened in the UN Security Council,” said Erekat.

The Arab-backed draft resolution, presented by Jordan on Tuesday, failed to gain the minimum nine votes in favour needed for adoption from the 15 member states of the UN Security Council. The United States and Australia voted against it.

Even if it had gained the minimum nine votes needed for adoption, the United States, one of the five veto-wielding permanent members of the council, would have vetoed it. — Xinhua.