Palestinian Authority

Not having the sovereignty of a full nation-state, but some international recognition, the Palestinian Authority is was created by Israeli-Palestinian peace pacts to provide basic government over the West Bank and Gaza, with at least the conceptual role of becoming the basis of a Palestinian nation should one ever be established. Its authority is limited by several factors, including the Israeli policy that it controls the borders, air, and coast of the Occupied Territories; the Israeli-governed settlements within the territories, and dissension between Palestinian groups.

Its official head is Mahmoud Abbas (also known as Abu Mazen), who succeeded Yasser Arafat as leader of the Fatah party. Hamas, however, won the last elections.

Hamas, once viewed as the more radical Islamist party, is now pressed by more extreme groups. In August 2009, its security forces attacked the Ibn-Taymiyah mosque in the Gaza town of Rafah, killing a number of members of an insurgent Islamic sect called Jund Ansar Allah (JAA), along with the group's leader, Abdel-Latif Moussa. "Hamas had accused the group of bombing Internet cafés, music stores, foreign schools, and weddings -- allegations the group denied. In turn, JAA complained that Hamas had persecuted its members, confiscated money and equipment worth $120,000, and even tried to kidnap its Syrian military commander, Abu Abdallah al-Muhajir. At the mosque, Moussa and his followers refused to surrender to the Hamas forces gathered outside, and ensuing fighting left 22 dead. Hamas, which had presented itself as an Islamist alternative to Fatah, has had difficulty in maintaining its religious image, and has been more aggressive than Fatah in suppressing challenges. Increasingly subject to the same criticisms it had offered when opposition, it was challenged by Salafist organizations including al-Qaeda when, after taking control of Gaza, it declined to impose Shar'ia law. JAA apparently triggered armed response when it announced it was establishing an Islamic emirate in Gaza, and put out a call for Palestinian to come to its mosque, armed.

Hamas lost international support and faced local opposition when it approved some Islamic law, but lost credibility as well when the tight Israeli border controls continued and settlements were not evacuated.