Israel’s Violence: What is Behind the Violence in Israel and Gaza?

In late April, President Mahmoud Abbas, head of the Palestinian Authority, which controls some parts of the West Bank, announced the postponement of what was supposed to be the first Palestinian elections in 15 years. In theory, elections would have taken place in the occupied West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem. But Abbas is at odds with Hamas, which rules Gaza, and Israel has banned the Palestinian Authority from operating in East Jerusalem, where most Palestinians are not Israeli citizens. Abbas, who was late in the polls, blamed the cancellation on Israel, saying it did not agree to the voting mechanism for East Jerusalem residents.