If the Quartet’s new proposals had resonated among the parties, Israeli and Palestinian negotiators would have met on Sunday for preliminary talks to set goals for the new round of negotiations. But after Palestinian Authority head Mahmoud ‘Abbas refused to come to the table unless Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu agreed to a total freeze on building in communities located on land Israel acquired in the 1967 war and begin negotiating with pre-1967 borders as a starting point, plan “B” became individual meetings between negotiators and the Quartet – the international entity overseeing the Israeli-Palestinian peace process that is comprised of the US; UN; EU and Russia. On Tuesday, Tony Blair, the Quartet’s envoy, begins that process albeit amid an atmosphere of sheer pessimism. Blair’s meetings on Tuesday are with his Quartet colleagues. His meetings on Wednesday, which are supposed to be with the sides’ negotiators, remain sketchy. ‘Abbas demands Israel meet his preconditions; Israel responds that talks must be with no preconditions; and the Palestinians reply that the demands are “obligations, not preconditions.” ‘Abbas has rejected a Netanyahu offer to halt all government construction in post-1967 areas because that represents only a small percentage of total building. ‘Abbas, meanwhile, stung by the perceived loss of prestige to Hamas over the Shalit prisoner swap, is pressing Israel to fulfill what he claims is a promise by former prime minister Ehud Olmert to release Fatah members held by Israel if the Shalit deal went through. It appears that the issue is becoming a third precondition for ‘Abbas to return to the Quartet-sponsored talks.