The Arab states plan to present a draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council against the Jewish settlements and they will turn to the UN General Assembly if the United States vetoes the draft, a Palestinian official said.

Nabil Shaath, a Palestinian negotiator, said that the UN General Assembly is similar to the UN Security Council in its ability to call for sanctions on the state that does not implement its resolutions.

Even if the U.S. vetoes the draft resolution, the Palestinians can get a resolution against the settlement building at the UN General Assembly as Arab, Latin American and African countries are likely to vote in favor of the draft, Shaath said.

However, Shaath said that the United States may not vote against the draft resolution "since it is difficult for it to use the veto after it has publicly opposed the settlement."

U.S.-sponsored negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians stopped in September after Israel resumed building settlements in the West Bank.