East Jerusalem-ites are torn between their identity as Palestinians, and their connection to Israel.  On the one hand, they receive many benefits from being recognized residents of Israeli Jerusalem: social security, education and other social benefits from the Israeli government, as well as freedom to move throughout Israel.  As a result, their per capita income is much higher than that of Palestinians in the West Bank, who may live in the neighboring town.

On the other hand, they are not considered, and do not consider themselves, Israelis.  They do not hold any passport, and are not allowed to vote in Israeli national elections.   Although pupils in East Jerusalem learn with textbooks from the Palestinian Authority (PA), and some of their parents have voted in the elections for the Palestinian Authority, the PA has no official responsibility for East Jerusalemites, and is officially forbidden to operate in East Jerusalem.

As a result of this ambiguous status, East Jerusalemites have, for the most part, been functionally disenfranchised and organizationally paralyzed.  They have not exercised, on principle, their right to vote in municipal elections.  Fearing to lose the meager, but important, benefits of their residency status, they have not often organized for their own welfare (e.g., through political parties, labor unions or community associations). This situation was mitigated somewhat by the leadership of Faisal Husseini, who was the recognized leader of the Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem, and provided a voice for their interests and aspirations.  Since his death a few years ago, the population has suffered from a lack of leadership, as well as a lack of local organization. The cumulative effect has been not only a leadership void, but also a deterioration of civil society.