We’re befuddled by the BBC’s explanation of eastern Jerusalem participation in PA elections:
The area is often called Arab East Jerusalem because the majority of its residents are Palestinian, and Palestinians hope to make it their future capital.
The 200,000-odd Palestinians living in the eastern part of East Jerusalem were allowed to vote in an election in 1996, in which Hamas did not take part.
It’s bad enough to see news services describe “East Jerusalem” as a proper noun — a problem we addressed here. But why is the BBC taking eastern Jerusalem and dividing that area into eastern and western parts too?
