Ultranationalist candidate Benny Begin arrives for a news conference May 16. Begin announced that he was no longer running for prime minister in the Israeli general elections to be held May 17. Begin, son of late Prime Minister Menachem Begin, pulled out of the race just after Center party leader Yitzhak Mordechai withdrew his name. Last night an Arab candidate, Azmi Bishara, also pulled out, leaving the race for prime minister down to two: current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Labour leader Ehud Barak who is leading all the polls.

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