The Israeli authorities arrested a number of Palestinians before the elections with the aim of affecting its success. Furthermore, the Israeli authorities have refused to consent to any arrangements which would allow for the participation of prisoners in the polling process.

In its turn, the CEC has raised the issue of prisoner participation in the legislative elections, specifically in terms of nomination and voting. The CEC has demanded that its staff be given permission to visit the Israeli detention centers and to place ballot boxes in the jails, or, that these arrangements be conducted in cooperation with the Red Cross.

The CEC has conducted a meeting with the minister of prisoners and ex-prisoners to discuss this issue and has affirmed the rights of prisoners, as part of Palestinian society, to participate in the elections.

In this context, a number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails have nominated themselves for the upcoming legislative elections while some of them have been members of the PLC.