tokens: Given his responsibilities and powers , it was not possible for the president of the Palestinian Authority , Mahmoud Abbas , to postpone yet again the vital decisions he needs to take to find a peaceful , democratic way out of this all - encompassing and violent crisis which is asphyxiating the Palestinians and threatening their security and the security of their children , preventing them from providing the bare essentials for life to continue , whether it be a loaf of bread or a sip of milk or a medicine tablet .