Settlements Snarl: 'Israel gambles on US protection from international law' (VIDEO)

Israel says it will go ahead with plans to build 1500 new settler homes in East Jerusalem - the part of the city that's considered Palestinian land.

The project was given an intermediate green light by Israeli officials on Monday.

This comes less then a month after the UN granted Palestine non-member observer status. Palestinians want East Jerusalem to be the capital of a future Palestinian state, and are promising to raise the issue at a Security Council meeting.

Author and historian Gerald Horne says that with Palestine's recent upgrade, Israel's playing a risky game.