Israeli plans to build in the area had been on hold for years until the Palestinians succeeded in December in having their status upgraded at the UN from an "entity" to that of a "non-member observer state".
Israeli plans to develop the E1 area had been on hold for years until the Palestinians upgraded their status at the UN from an "entity" to that of a "non-member observer state", a move condemned by Israel and the US as a violation of peace accords.