GAZA, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- Four Palestinian militant groups threatened on Sunday to target American interests and people in the Middle East in response to a U.S. veto that blocked a UN resolution intended to condemn Israel's deadly attack on Palestinian civilians.

    The groups, in a written statement to the press, called on "all liberals of the world and all Mujahedeens in the Islamic world to strike the Americans severely."

    The statement, signed by the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) and three minor groups linked to the Fatah movement, also said that the U.S. and its people are legitimate targets for the Palestinians.

    The United States on Saturday vetoed an Arab-sponsored UN Security Council draft resolution which sought to condemn the deadly Israeli attack in Gaza and urge an immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from there.

    The deadly attack killed 19 civilians last week after Israeli artillery fired four tank shells that landed on a house in northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun.

    "The cowboys and their citizens are not valuable than the blood of the children of al-Athaman family, regardless of their jobs or ranks," said the statement.

    The statement also criticized the UN Security Council of only protecting Israel and maintaining its security.

    It is the second such threat in a week. Last Thursday, the governing Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) also issued, for the first time, a similar statement after the deadly killing of the civilians in Beit Hanoun.