and former Muslim governments.

The peoples allowed to practice because they were in receipt of lesser revelations, but still in error because they rejected the best revelation, could self govern in many respects as a kind of contract between religious groups. But they had to pay due obeisance to those at the top of the totem pole, the Muslims. One way of doing this was to have Muslims hold the keys to the church and synagogue buildings, as a sign of supremacy. These weren't high-ranking Muslims, but since any Muslim is superior to any Xian or Jew, typically low-ranking Muslims. The position from Tunisia to India is typically hereditary.

This gets spun in various ways for the Western media. To show cooperation, to show acceptance of People of the Book by Muslims, etc., etc. In some cases it's spun to show Muslims being even-handed in mediating disputes between foolish Xians who can't get along. Even "ISIS" shows a difference between Xians--allowed to leave waqf lands--and Yazidi, who are deemed pagans. Raising a sword against ISIS, however, implies breaking the contract that trades peace and relative autonomy (in your own ghetto) for submission.

This system has been in place at times from Spain to Morocco to Egypt to Iran to India and probably east of India, noted from the 800s to the present. It's not always been enforced, and at times is vestigial or much weakened, but it has the same roots and can easily either fade or be vigorously enforced, depending on the conservatism and piety of the rulers (often driven by popular will as fed by the imams).