There is no final analysis on personality. In any case, neither

Netanyahu nor Livni has much choice but to negotiate with this perplexing character. Unless of course a “national unity” government keeps Lieberman out or blunts his relevance. But one doesn’t yet see Kadima going with Likud, or a tripartite coalition of Livni-Netanyahu-Barak lasting. But the same equation, minus Barak (warned by Labor to stay away from Lieberman), plus Lieberman, is still a technical

possibility. What remains unaltered is the fact that war and peace in West Asia have just been put on a new path. It’s just the leftists who voted for Kadima that woke up disappointed to see Livni sounding out Lieberman.

sudeep.paul@expressindia.com