Israel said Monday it will free two of its most prominent Palestinian prisoners _ a militant mastermind from the 1970s and a gunman elected to parliament while behind bars _ among 199 inmates to be released as a goodwill gesture to embattled Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

While the move will give an important boost to the moderate Abbas, it drew fierce criticism from some Israeli politicians, who said it could undermine attempts to free a captured Israeli soldier held in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

Israel’s prisons service said the upcoming release would include Said al-Atba, who has served 32 years of a life sentence for planting a bomb, illegal military training and belonging to a banned group. Al-Atba, 57, is the longest serving prisoner held by Israel and he is widely seen by the Palestinian public as a symbol for the prisoners.

The fate of the roughly 9,000 Palestinians in Israeli jails is highly emotional, as many Palestinians either know someone in prison or have served time themselves. Abbas, who is struggling to show his people the fruits of drawn-out peace negotiations with Israel, has repeatedly urged Israel to carry out a large-scale release.

“Solving the prisoner problem paves the road to solving other issues in (peace) negotiations,” said Ahmed Abdel Rahman, a spokesman for Abbas. He said the inclusion of long-serving prisoners would bolster the president’s credibility with the public, which has grown skeptical over the slow pace of peace talks.

Israel has released prisoners to Abbas in the past, most recently last December. But it has balked at releasing Palestinians serving time for deadly attacks. It appears to be easing its criteria following last month’s prisoner swap with the Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah.

Under that deal, Israel exchanged a Lebanese man convicted in a notorious triple murder for the remains of two Israeli soldiers. Eager to bolster Abbas in his rivalry with Hamas, Israel says the latest release is meant to show the Palestinians that dialogue, not violence, is the best way to win concessions.

Also on the list Israel released Monday of the 199 prisoners set to be freed was Mohammed Abu Ali, jailed in 1980 for killing an Israeli settler in the West Bank and later convicted of killing a Palestinian in jail he accused of collaborating with Israel. Abu Ali also serves as a lawmaker from Abbas’ Fatah party.

The list also included at least a dozen people serving time for violent crimes like shootings, planting explosives and attempted murder, as well as a former Fatah lawmaker accused of accepting funds from Hezbollah.

At Al-Atba’s home in the West Bank city of Nablus, his 75-year-old mother, Widad, said neighbors were already coming over to congratulate her on her son’s impending release.

“I’m afraid to close my eyes. I haven’t slept, waiting for him to come through the door. I can’t wait to hold him,” she said.

Israel’s Cabinet on Sunday approved the release of the prisoners. A smaller ministerial committee on Monday followed up by choosing the names of those to be freed. Al-Atba and Abu Ali were included after security officials concluded they are unlikely to return to violence.

However, two senior officials, Public Security Minister Avi Dichter and Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz, voted against the measure.

They said the release would undermine negotiations over the return of an Israeli soldier held captive in Hamas-ruled Gaza. Negotiations have stalled because of Hamas demands to release convicted murderers.

“When Israel releases prisoners, it is not seen as a concession, but as a weakness,” Mofaz said. “This is a decision that broadcasts weakness and complacence with the current situation.”

Dichter is a former director of the Shin Bet internal security service, and Mofaz is a former military chief. Both men hope to succeed Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who has said he will step down to battle corruption allegations.

Sahar Francis, a prominent lawyer for Palestinian prisoners, said the planned release of Al-Atba has given hope to 300 other long-serving prisoners with similar sentences that they too might be freed in the future.

“Prisoners are happy for everybody who is released, especially if they conducted attacks inside Israel and killed people,” she said.

Although Hamas welcomed the prisoner release, it is unlikely the group will ease its demands.

“The government will make every possible effort for the release (of prisoners) from Israeli jails,” said Taher Nunu, a Hamas government spokesman.

Hamas may well now feel pressured to harden its position to show weary Gaza residents that it can still obtain more from Israel through kidnapping its soldiers, rather than peaceful negotiations.

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Associated Press correspondents Ali Daraghmeh in Nablus, West Bank, and Ibrahim Barzak in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, contributed to this report.