With only eight days left until Israel’s general election, Benny Gantz, former prime minister of Israel and leader of the Blue and White party, announced that he is withdrawing from the election race.

According to the latest poll from Israel’s Channel 12, the coalition supporting Benjamin Netanyahu could win 50 seats, and the rival coalition led by Gadi Eisenkot could win 52 seats in the Knesset. With the fate of the other 18 seats remaining unclear, the role of Arab parties and the far-right stream in determining the next prime minister has grown prominent. These developments occur one day after Donald Trump’s unqualified endorsement of Netanyahu.

Interview with Menaḥem Amir, an expert in Middle East affairs, and Meir Jaavadanfar, an analyst of Israeli affairs