Ramallah, Dec 31 (IANS): A Palestinian official Wednesday said he regretted UN Security Council's rejection of a draft resolution that urges Israel to withdraw from occupied Palestinian territories within three years.

The Palestinian draft resolution "can never be a unilateral step either by the Palestinians or by the Arabs. It is a legal right for the Palestinian people to establish their state," Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told Xinhua.

"The Palestinian leadership is urged to immediately launch alternative steps in the light of what happened in the UN Security Council," Erekat said.

The Arab-backed draft resolution, presented by Jordan Tuesday, failed to gain the minimum nine votes in favour needed for adoption from the 15 state members of the UN Security Council.

The US and Australia voted against it.

Even if it had gained the nine votes needed for adoption, the US, one of the five permanent members of the council, would have vetoed it.