Palestinians in the occupied West Bank have staged protest rallies against Washington’s unilateral support for the Israeli regime while an official US delegation is on a tour of the area.

US diplomats were on their way to an event for graduates and other beneficiaries of US programs in Ramallah on Tuesday, Ma’an news agency reported.

Demonstrators also criticized the US for trying to block their attempt to receive full membership at the UN. They chanted anti-US slogans, saying "USAID go home" and "Shame on you."

The protest effort was in response to the latest effort by pro-Israel members of the US Congress to withhold USD 200 million in aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA) over Ramallah’s bid for UN statehood.

On August 18, three congressional committees made the decision prior to the PA’s bid to win recognition of an independent Palestinian state at the United Nations in September.

The PA cabinet in a statement on Tuesday "expressed hope that the US Congress would reconsider the freezing of aid allocated to the Palestinian National Authority."

However, the protesters called on the PA to sever their ties with the US organizations.

"We refuse any American interference in Palestinian issues and we refuse US funding and we demand that Palestinian organization cut off relations with American organizations," one protester said.

On September 23, acting PA Chief Mahmoud Abbas presented UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon with the statehood proposal during the UN General Assembly’s annual session in New York.

The PA has reportedly secured the support of ten of the UNSC’s membership with India, Nigeria, Gabon, and Bosnia most recently siding with the Palestinians on the issue.

However, the US, among the Security Council’s five permanent members, which have veto powers, has vowed to thwart the bid.

(Press TV)