UPDATED: 9:45am

A New Zealand resolution demanding Israel stop building settlements on occupied Palestinian territory has been passed by the UN Security Council after the United States abstained from voting.

The resolution was put forward at the 15-member council for a vote by New Zealand, Malaysia, Venezuela and Senegal a day after Egypt withdrew it under pressure from Israel and US President-elect Donald Trump.

Trump was quick to slam the resolution on Twitter, saying "things will be different" after he is sworn in.

As to the U.N., things will be different after Jan. 20th.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2016

New Zealand's representative on the Security Council, Gerard van Bohemen, said the resolution was long overdue.

"New Zealand has made no secret of its frustration that it has almost been almost eight years since the Security Council passed a resolution on the Middle East peace protest."

The Obama administration's move to allow the resolution to pass was a reversal of US practice to protect Israel from United Nations action.

Israel and Trump had called on the United States to veto the measure.

It was adopted with 14 votes in favour, to a round of applause.

It is the first resolution the Security Council has adopted on Israel and the Palestinians in nearly eight years.

- Additional reporting by NZN