Kuwait's U.N. ambassador says an "overwhelming" number of Security Council members oppose Israel's decision to deduct money that Palestinians transfer to the families of people killed, injured or imprisoned for attacks on Israel from their monthly tax revenue.

Mansour Al-Otaibi told reporters after a closed-door council meeting that Israel's unilateral action was "in violation of existing bilateral agreements."

But U.S. Mideast envoy Jason Greenblatt came to New York from Washington to defend close ally Israel.

He told the council that the Palestinians' decision to reject the latest tax transfer was only hurting the Palestinian people because they were rejecting the 95 percent of the tax revenue that Israel is not withholding, according to a diplomat at the meeting, who spoke on condition of anonymity because discussions were private.

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