As already known, only the U.S. at the UNSC consisting of 15 member nations on February 18 put a veto on the resolution Arab countries presented to condemn Israel's expansion of settlements.

The Palestine Liberation Organization called an emergency meeting on the night of Feb. 18 to bitterly condemn this imprudent behavior.

There were anti-U.S demos of Palestinians in Ramallah and other areas on the West Bank.

They branded the U.S. veto as an act of hostility toward the Palestinians. Demanding an apology from the U.S., they launched a campaign of boycotting any relation with the U.S. while rejecting its aid.

Roar of wrath has been heard from among other Arab countries.

The U.S. veto clearly showed discord between its words and actions over the Mideast problem and spoiled the worldwide efforts for regional peace, the Jordanian House of Deputies of National Assembly said in a statement.

They are a due reaction to the U.S. criminal behavior, violation and insult to the Palestinian people's dignity and sovereignty.

This is not the first time the U.S. has ever used its veto in UN arena in defence of Israel infringing upon the Palestinians' legitimate rights. According to unofficial statistics by foreign press reports, it has cast its veto 83 times so far.

In fact the U.S. has absolutely backed Israel. The same goes for the recent case.

Israel resumed peace talks with Palestine last September, but has been pushing ahead with enlargement of its settlements for territorial expansion behind their curtain. Such action soon brought the talks to a rupture.

Enraged at this, Arab countries submitted to the UNSC the resolution denouncing Israel's expansion of settlements and breakdown of peace process last December.

The U.S. delayed a vote on the resolution while pressing Palestine to make concession. The latter did not yield to this pressure and, after all, the former used its veto against the resolution.

An official of Palestine told reporters that the world is of the same view that Israel's construction of settlements is illegal and that of the 192 members nations of the UN, the U.S. is likely to be the only objector to the resolution.

This behavior of the U.S. protecting Israel keen on territorial expansion is a challenge to the unanimous desire of the international community for a fair solution to the Palestinian issue.

The U.S. policy for domination over the Mideast region and its protection of Israel on this basis will plunge the U.S. into a more awkward position in the region.