Thanks. I hadn't thought of the word that way. So applying it, as I have, to countries on all sides of the conflict is inappropriate, then? Do we surrender the word, and use "leadership"? I would use "government," but in Israel's case it's the particular people/party/coalition. And Hamas isn't really a government so much as a resistance movement. And the US? I guess I'm looking for a word that describes the groups that happen to be in power. Maybe it's leadership, even if i don't think they're fulfilling the function of leaders...