DAMASCUS, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Veto to thwart UN resolution condemning Israel on building settlement is a blow to the Palestinian negotiator who has been gambling on the U.S. administration, Izat al-Rishq, the Damascus-based Hamas official said Sunday.
"Hamas condemns the immoral U.S. stance of using veto against the draft resolution denouncing the Israeli settlement, we have never been counting on U.S.," Rishq told Xinhua.
Despite 14 members voted on Friday in favor of the UN Security Council's resolution, Washington resorted to veto to abort the international efforts of condemning Tel-Aviv.
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said on Friday that the veto confirmed the total support by the U.S. administration for the arbitrary policy of Israel.
Barhoum called on PNA to stop negotiations and liaison with Israel. "Let's start a new phase to create the internal Palestinian unity," he said.
The President of the Palestinian National Authority Mahmoud Abbas, however, said his authority would not boycott the U.S. administration despite the veto.
