At a time when Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian Authority are facing a surplus of bad options, Washington and Israel have ample reason to actively help them emerge from the impasse in as constructive a way as possible. Otherwise, Ramallah could choose a route that leads to increased acrimony, unintended violence, further empowerment of extremists, or even the PA's demise.

In this Policy Note, former senior Israeli advisor Tal Becker describes how the most commonly discussed next steps for the PA -- such as Hamas reconciliation, UN recognition, and renewed final-status negotiations -- are simply untenable at the moment, and how full multilateral commitment to the proven combination of state-building and security cooperation is the best way forward for all parties.