Campaigning for Sunday's Palestinian election has come to an end with one of the main candidates barred by Israeli police from entering East Jerusalem.
Mustafa Barghouti denied Israeli police claims he violated an agreement not to enter Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque.
Earlier the other leading candidate, Mahmoud Abbas cancelled a campaign trip to Jerusalem, saying Israeli security plans would have embarrassed him.
Nearly two million people will vote to replace late leader Yasser Arafat.
But the campaigning ended amid more violence in the West Bank and Gaza on Friday.
Two Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip, while an Israeli was killed and four others wounded when Palestinian gunmen opened fire on them in the West Bank.
Disputed territory
Mr Barghouti was detained for several hours after trying to enter the al-Aqsa mosque for Friday prayers. He was later released and sent to the West Bank.
An Israeli police spokesman said Mr Barghouti was held for violating an agreement not to enter the mosque compound.
" It seems to me that this is an exercise in pretend democracy "
Mr Abbas cancelled a campaign engagement at the mosque. His officials said Israel wanted to give him a large security detail amid concern he would be attacked by Jewish extremists.
Israel has annexed East Jerusalem and sees it as its exclusive domain but, under international law, the area is considered to be occupied territory.
The area is often called Arab East Jerusalem because the majority of its inhabitants are Palestinian, and Palestinians hope to make it their future capital.
Moderate voices
Israeli radio said the army would be redeployed away from Palestinian cities to avoid interference in the electoral process.
Mr Abbas, who is leader of the main Palestinian political faction, Fatah, has led the race to replace Arafat.
He said on Friday he would ask current Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei to form a new government if he won Sunday's vote.
Both Mr Abbas and Mr Barghouti are regarded as relative moderates, and both have used the campaign to criticise aspects of the four-year-old Palestinian uprising, or intifada.
Earlier this week, Mr Abbas used unexpectedly strong language to criticise an Israeli tank strike in Gaza, describing Israel as the "Zionist enemy".
But he later struck a more moderate tone, saying he would push for peace negotiations as soon as a new Palestinian cabinet was appointed, and described Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon as a potential partner for peace.
Both candidates have campaigned against corruption and lawlessness in Palestinian society, and both have criticised the armed uprising.
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