Jerusalem, Dec 25
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashed at the Obama administration on Saturday, after a US abstention in a UN vote that passed a resolution demanding an end to Israeli settlement construction.

\"The Obama administration has carried out an underhanded and an anti-Israel manoeuvre at the UN Security Council,\" Netanyahu said of the resolution passed by the 15-member body on Friday.

The hardline Prime Minister also slammed the motion as \"distorted and shameful\", Xinhua news agency reported.

Israel has recalled its envoys in New Zealand and Senegal, which together with Venezuela and Malaysia, submitted the resolution that was passed by a 14-0 majority.

Netanyahu suggested that Israel might sever ties with the UN, saying he had already ordered to cut funds of 30 million shekels ($8 million) to five \"exceptionally hostile\" UN bodies.

The Israeli cabinet has vowed to respond with a full annexation of settlement blocs.

The UN vote came in the wake of the Regulation Bill, which the Israeli parliament approved in its first out of three readings almost three weeks ago to legalize Jewish settlements built on occupied Palestinian lands.

Meanwhile, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said that it welcomed the UN Security Council resolution that demands an end to the Israeli settlement building in occupied Palestinian territories.

Arab League welcomes UN vote against Israeli settlements

The Arab League (AL) welcomed in a statement on Saturday a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution that demands immediate and complete halt of all Israeli settlement activities on occupied Palestinian territories.

AL Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit congratulated the Palestinian people and government on the \"pivotal\" resolution that was endorsed by a large majority and after more than 35 years of attempts to issue a similar resolution, Xinhua news agency reported.

\"The resolution reflects massive international support for the historical struggle of the Palestinian people to get their legitimate rights, atop of which is the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital,\" said the AL chief in the statement.

The resolution was endorsed Friday by 14 out of the council\'s 15 member states, while the United States abstained but did not veto despite attempts of US President-elect Donald Trump.

Egypt tried to delay the whole vote on the resolution, which was seen as a response to pressure from Trump, yet the Egyptian Foreign Ministry later explained that the requested delay was only meant to avoid the exercise of veto right against the resolution.

Over 400,000 Israeli settlers currently live in the West Bank and at least 200,000 others live in East Jerusalem, which the Palestinians see as the capital city of their future state.

Israeli PM slams Obama over UN vote on settlements