13 managed their expectations? Palestinians know exactly what's happening. People don't have high expectations.... But maybe the Palestinian leadership should tell the people that after 20 years we don't have a partner and we cannot continue to be an authority in name only. That we should throw in the towel. Many see that as a bluff. Wouldn't you be throwing away years of progress, institutions, security forces and putting hundreds of thousands of people out of work? We haven't made a decision. I'm not asking for the disbanding of the authority. But I'm asking: Is this the authority that will take us to independence? It's a joke.... The status quo is the worst situation for us, worse than any storm that might come. I'm not in a position to bluff or make threats. It's about choices. It sounds like you are hoping that Israel will cry uncle. Eighteen years ago I would have accepted this argument. But now I'm a grandpa. I used to tell my wife that I never wanted my children to go through what I went through, but then they did. And I didn't want my grandchildren to go through it, and they are. How does any of this get Israelis and Palestinians closer to an agreement or get Palestinians closer to statehood? At least I won't be looking in the mirror and telling myself that I'm fooling my people. HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_025009