President Mahmoud Abbas and the Israeli prime minister are heading to the direct negotiations which will be launched in Washington tomorrow with a different reference. These negotiations will be attended by the witnesses, President Hosni Mubarak, King Abdullah II and the American sponsor, also each with a different reference.

The reference of Netanyahu and the American mediator is the statement of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in which she addressed the invitation for tomorrow’s meeting. As for the reference of Abbas and the Arab witnesses, it is the statement of the Quartet Committee which was issued a few hours before the aforementioned statement.

The difference between the two references is major, especially since Clinton did not define any bases for the negotiations which she wanted to be “without prior conditions,” whereas the Quartet Committee had defined the time ceiling and the goal behind the process. Therefore, as it became clear through the Palestinian statements and the Israeli ones which preceded them, the negotiations were launched while lacking the minimum level of common points between the two sides. In the meantime, it would be impossible to wager on any change of positions during the negotiations process, considering that what Netanyahu is proposing does not go in line with the possible establishment of an independent Palestinian state with the 1967 border, while Abbas cannot relinquish that goal and has threatened to withdraw from the process in case Israel were to recant the freezing of the settlements and the settlement activities.

The negotiations that were staged during the last 17 years were unable to bridge the gap between the two, and the Israeli side does not seem to be willing to undertake any step in this direction. Quite the contrary, it is insisting on more Palestinian concessions affecting the bases of the solution, which in itself is undermining the goal.

It is clear that the Palestinian side is not putting any hope on seeing this round of negotiations reaching a solution meeting the minimum level of its demands. Yet, it is heading to Washington because “it has nothing to lose.” It is also clear that the Israeli side does not even want to make a gesture of “good intention” that would render the continuation of the negotiations possible, especially in light of the presence of an extremist governmental coalition – one of the members of which called for the “annihilation of all the Palestinians,” including the negotiator.

The gain, if any, remains that of the US administration, which is seeking the promotion of this round as a personal success for President Barack Obama and his administration on the eve of the congressional midterm elections at a time when the popularity of the Democrats is plummeting to unprecedented levels – although the reasons behind this deterioration have nothing to do with the Middle East. This could make the outcome of this gain go with the wind upon any attempt to pressure the Israelis, through an action undertaken by the Zionist lobby.

It is said that the negotiations and the settlement are like a Tango dance which requires two people. This is what President Abbas hopes to secure, i.e. for the Washington meeting to set the foundation for the possible continuation of the negotiations between the Palestinian and Israeli sides until a settlement is reached. However, this implies that each of the two sides must play its part in performing this dance.

Nonetheless, Netanyahu, who responded to the American wish to launch the negotiations, is not recognizing the necessity to have a dance partner – that is, if he recognizes the presence of this partner to begin with. He wants to dance solo, in “The Jerk” style, while settling for looking around him and performing the moves he wants without abiding by any rules.

In this case, “The Tango” dancer will remain off the stage due to the absence of a partner, while “The Jerk” dancer will continue to swing solo on the podium.