An Israeli citizen traveling home to vote jumps to the head of the line yesterday at New York's Kennedy International Airport. ( AP )

JERUSALEM (May 17) - Election Day opens this morning with only two candidates left in the running, and with the promise that by early tomorrow morning either One Israel leader Ehud Barak or Likud leader Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will emerge victorious.

Opinion polls indicate that the withdrawal of Balad leader Azmi Bishara on Saturday, followed by those of Center Party leader Yitzhak Mordechai and National Union leader Ze'ev (Benny) Begin yesterday, will help Barak. The One Israel leader is now expected to receive between 51-55 percent of the votes cast and become Israel's next prime minister.

After weeks of speculation, Mordechai called a press conference midday yesterday, saying he had "made the hard decision" to step out of the race, and called on his supporters to vote for Barak. Five hours later, Begin - who had always maintained that if the other candidates pulled out so would he - gathered his supporters to call it quits. Begin refused to endorse either remaining candidate.

Waiting until after Mordechai and Begin had held press conferences to announce their withdrawals, Barak appeared yesterday evening before his supporters to thank them for their efforts, warn them against early celebrations, and call on them to keep working for victory until the last moment.

"I thank you, I am proud of you, and I love you," he said. "Without your help we would not be marching to this victory."

Standing in the middle of a potato field full of "Barak for Prime Minister" signs near Ra'anana, and speaking from a text in measured sentences, Barak talked about his hopes of forging unity in the country after the elections. He appealed directly to the supporters of all the parties - including the Likud - to vote for him and help him fulfill his vision.

"I call on all Israelis, all those who believe in unity and change and the responsibility of bringing hope to our children, to work together with me," he said. "There are only two ways: Netanyahu's, which has brought us to this impasse, and ours, a way of change."

"With God's help, we will win and immediately repair the damage caused by the prime minister's divisive and inciting campaign," he said.

Barak admitted he was pleased the elections would be over in one round - "saving the country NIS 700 million, and another two weeks of divisiveness" - but stressed that he had not played a part in either Mordechai's or Bishara's decisions to pull out of the race. He said he had not promised them or their parties anything, and he also refused to say whether he intends giving Mordechai the defense portfolio should he be asked to form a government. However, Barak did say he is "certain" the Center Party would be an important part of any government under his leadership.

"I have known Mordechai for 30 years as a soldier and an officer. Today he demonstrated for us his abilities as a politician. He showed responsibility, and put the good of the country before himself," said Barak.

Barak did not rule out the inclusion of the Likud in any future government he may lead. "We will create a very broad government of all those who are willing to join our path... I will say to all, whoever wants to join our path, we will consider their addition to our government," he said.

Netanyahu, meanwhile, who had hoped to go to a second round and use the two extra campaign weeks to boost his standing, also called a press conference yesterday in his office to react to the spate of withdrawals. At the chaotic gathering, during which several Likud supporters and cameramen traded accusations of incitement to violence, Netanyahu claimed that, contrary to conventional wisdom, the Mordechai and Bishara pullouts would boomerang against Barak and help him, Netanyahu, score a victory.

"We will win these elections yet, despite the predictions. I am sure of it, " he repeated over and again.

Netanyahu threw back at Mordechai the haunting words which were spoken in the televised TV debate last month. "Look the nation in the eye," Netanyahu challenged, "After all your promises, all your pronouncements, you have now joined Barak and Bishara, Tibi and Yossi Sarid. Everyone who followed you needs to ask but one question - where is your credibility?"

Both Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon and Finance Minister Meir Sheetrit, who sat beside Netanyahu throughout the press conference, echoed this message.

"A moment before the elections, I call upon all Likud people to return home," said Sharon, looking somber. "Only we will make a real peace, protect the Golan and build Jerusalem. Everything is still in reach." Sheetrit said that even if "people had some arguments with Netanyahu," no one should "leave a home because of internal squabbling."

Netanyahu went on to attack Barak for making deals with Bishara, whom he called an "anti-Zionist force who praises the Hizbullah. Whoever votes for Barak is voting for a left-wing government which needs anti-Zionists to hold it up. Whoever votes for me will get a national government with the Likud and the Zionist parties at its head," said Netanyahu, who hinted that he too would establish a broad government should he be elected.

The prime minister pleaded with the electorate not to "repeat the mistakes of 1992," and said that "the left" would "establish an Arab state in the heart of the country, on the outskirts of Tel Aviv - that will put our very existence at risk." Asked if he would step down from the Likud leadership if the party loses today, Netanyahu said: "I intend to win. I am not going to lose."

Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 10 p.m. for the 4.28 million citizens having the right to vote. In towns with fewer than 250 residents, the polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Voting will take place in 7,021 polling stations; another 179 stations are open in hospitals and 42 in prisons.

The Central Elections Committee hot line to check voting station location is operating today from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The English-language number is 1-800-200-135. For Hebrew, call 1-800-200-131.

What's operating today: Transportation services, parking lots, and gas stations; restaurants, cafes, kiosks, hotels, and hostels; communications services; water and electricity services; gas supply and transport; theaters, cinemas, and places of entertainment; newspapers, radio, and television; transport of fruits, vegetables, and milk products until 11 a.m.; grocery stores from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m.; bakeries, bread delivery, and production of milk products; security and rescue services.

Those services which operate on a reduced schedule on Shabbat will also do so on Election Day.

Palestinians from Judea, Samaria, and Gaza will be barred from entering Israel until midnight tonight, except on humanitarian grounds, said Shlomo Dror, spokesman for the Coordinator of Activities in the Territories.

The decision was to take effect at midnight last night. Dror said that in the past week security officials held extensive discussions and decided that, as Election Day is a holiday, there is no need for Palestinian workers to enter Israel.

Palestinian Authority officials and holders of VIP permits will be allowed in, as will merchandise from Gaza to the West Bank. The Allenby and Adam bridges will remain open, but will work according to a Shabbat schedule.

While security officials have not received any concrete warnings of terror attacks, Dror stressed it is no secret that Hamas plans to carry out attacks in Israel and Election Day is a likely target.