Israel is to release 26 Palestinian prisoners in a second stage of a four-stage process by which 104 Palestinian prisoners will be sent to the Palestinian Authority as part of the agreement to renew peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
A ministerial committee headed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday approved the list of 26 Palestinian prisoners who have been jailed for their involvement in terror attacks against Israelis before the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993.
A statement from Netanyahu's office on Sunday said the latest releases would not happen before Tuesday, saying Israelis would have 48 hours to appeal the names on the list being published on Sunday on the Israel's Prison Service website.
Five of the prisoners will head to Gaza and 21 to the West Bank. They have all served sentences of 19 to 28 years.
A bill sponsored by the Bayit Yehudi party to ban future Palestinian prisoners release failed to pass the ministerial committee. The party plans to appeal the vote.
"This is a sad day for the fight against terror in Israel," the party said in a statement.
"We will continue to fight with all our strength against the release of prisoners. We're amazed and sorry that that the Likud ministers didn't support the legislation that would have ended the release of murders," it said.
Housing and Construction Minister Uri Ariel from Bayit Yehudi said, "It was shameful that ministers opposed the legislation. We oppose and will continue to oppose the release of prisoners."
Likud, Yesh Atid and Hatnua ministers opposed the legislation and supported further prisoner release.
"It was made clear once again today that this government, as opposed to one of its member parties, is acting out of the nation's interest and not that of cynical partisan interests or according to the instructions of [settler] rabbis," Justice Minister Tzipi Livni (Hatnua) said.
"This government is advancing a diplomatic process, that is in Israel's national and security interests. The responsibility to act in accordance with these interests as well as the shared responsibility for decisions that were taken [by the government], is incumbent on every member of the government, even those who in retrospect are trying to shirk from them," Israel's chief negotiator with the Palestinians said.
Earlier, at the weekly cabinet meeting, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the ministers:"We have to honor government decisions even if it is difficult and unpleasant, we can't constantly change our stance."