The Palestinian president says Israel's prime minister should not warn him against taking unilateral steps when Israel has been building West Bank settlements on its own for decades.

Mahmoud Abbas was referring to a statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which he said the Palestinians have no options for peace except direct negotiations.

Palestinians have been indicating they might ask for UN recognition of a state of their own if they give up on peace talks.

Abbas said Israel has been taking one-sided measures for decades in the West Bank. "Settlements are a unilateral step taken by Israel," Abbas said during a visit to Bethlehem on Monday.