Elections in Israel are a certainty in the next year. As such, campaign-style sniping, which never really abates, is gaining momentum.

The latest spat between Education Minister Naftali Bennett and Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman has been brewing for months

At a recent confab of journalists, politicians and assorted influencers, Lieberman took direct aim at Bennett for criticizing his leadership. He sneered at the Minister of Education, insisting that Bennett should concern himself with school curricula and a recent sexual misconduct scandal allegedly involving two teachers at a Tel Aviv high school.

To which Bennett ricocheted that such matters do not require his 24-7 attention and were managed swiftly. Furthermore, as a member of the powerful security cabinet, he reminded the room, the matter of defense is very much his business.

Since immigrating to Israel from Tashkent almost 30 years ago, Lieberman has demonstrated extreme skill and tenacity in the mosh pit that passes for Israeli politics. He has survived a major corruption-related “time out,” petty and serious attacks, and still managed to parlay his five mandates (in the 120-seat Israeli parliament) into his current role in the Cabinet.

Historically, the powerful and critical post of Defense Minister has been reserved for military heroes and men with unassailable leadership cred. In a country where nearly all young men serve in the military from age 18 for approximately three years, many of whom see combat, the national defense is foremost in the mind of every voter.

Lieberman held out for this appointment for 14 months following the previous election in March of 2015. Without his support in the coalition, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu governed on a knife edge, controlling 61 out of 120 mandates. Lieberman cooled his heels in the back benches until the PM caved to his unbending demand. Netanyahu would either accept Defense Minister Lieberman or face a vote of no confidence.

When Lieberman assumed control of the Defense Ministry, the hit satirical show–Israel’s version of Saturday Night Live, “Our Wonderful Country”–went to town. His compulsory military service reportedly had him working in the medical supply room; hardly the superhuman stuff Israelis have come to expect of their top soldier. His political base, however, could not care less. Predominantly immigrants from the former Soviet Union and mostly secular, Lieberman’s core supporters are tough, hardcore Zionists and very right wing. And they came to Israel with nothing but their impressive educational and cultural training. Any economic gains they enjoy have been secured only as a result of painstaking effort and sacrifice.

Bennett, in many ways, is the counter-point to Lieberman’s hardscrabble reach for the top. The son of Americans who immigrated from San Francisco in 1967, Bennett speaks flawless English and is culturally at ease among North Americans, which is an influential constituency in Israel. He served in an elite combat unit and made a fortune in the tech industry before pivoting to public life. After a major falling out with Netanyahu, Bennet and his political pal–Minister of Justice Ayelet Shaked–carried out a putsch within another fringe party, Jewish Home, which is currently sitting with eight mandates in the Knesset.

Primarily representing a hard-right settler base that is overwhelmingly religious in that old-world kind of style, Bennett is, in many ways, a fish out of water in his own party. He is worldly, refined, sophisticated. His wife is a pastry chef. In contrast to Lieberman’s somewhat closed and stern affect, Bennett is fit and youngish, with an easy, affable demeanor.

We can only judge so much by the surface, which is a point that was emphasized pointedly by Lieberman. Recently, Bennett has made an issue of how Lieberman–the tough, burly Russian–has gone all soft, veered toward the “left,” and has mishandled the ongoing conflict with Gaza. Deploying his sharp “dog whistle” instincts, Lieberman buried Bennett by dismissing him as a resident of Ra’anana, which is code in Israel for being sequestered in a privileged, upper-middle-class, Anglo-heavy bubble.

“I live in a settlement,” Lieberman intoned flatly. In other words: I’m the real deal; a real tough guy living in the West Bank, despite my time minding the bandage count.

And the bell rings. Bennett is down for the count, and this round of election antics goes to the dude from Tashkent. But it’s no knockout. These two will be sparring forever, each seeing himself as the kingmaker and maybe the next king.