Witnesses say police stopped Barghouti when he was walking with campaign supporters. Israel says Barghouti, a West Bank resident, needs special permission from the Israeli police to enter Jerusalem.

Israel Radio quoted Israeli police and security officials as saying that Barghouti was to be questioned, then be immediately released and sent back to the West Bank.

Barghouti, a human rights activist, is running a distant second to the interim Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, according to polls.