1st LD: UNSC anti-Israeli settlement vote historic: Palestinian official

The United Nations Security Council voted in favor of a resolution that condemns Israeli settlements and calls on Israel to halt them, which is historic, senior Palestinian official Saeb Erekat said Friday.

Erekat told Xinhua on telephone "this is a historic day and it is the day when the international community won consensus on the international law."

He went on saying that the international community voting in favor of the bid "is a victory to the independent state of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital on 1967 borders," said Erekat.

He also said that the international community sent a clear message to Israel and its government that the road for peace and security would never be made by occupation and settlements, but by ending the occupation and establishing the Palestinian state.

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution with 14 votes in favor and one abstention. The United States abstained from voting, which helped to pass the resolution. Endit