Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced on Tuesday he will meet Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on June 7 despite an ongoing Israeli offensive into Gaza Strip.

Abbas added that his initiative of ceasefire with Israel was being studied by the Palestinian factions and would be transferred to the Israelis with Gaza militant groups agree on it.

Abbas made the remarks during a news conference with the President of the European Parliament, Mr. Hans-Gert Pottering, in Gaza city.

"I have asked Mr. Pottering to convoy a message to the Israeli side that they should calm down the situation and release withheld tax revenues," Abbas told reporters.

Abbas discussed with his guest several issues, mainly the Israeli operations against the ruling Hamas and the initiative of calmness that calls on Gaza factions to unilaterally stop firing rockets against Israel.

Asked about the Israeli threats to reoccupy parts of Gaza Strip to stop the home-made rockets, Abbas said: "We hope Israel will not consider this because all problems can be settled through negotiations that we are ready for."

For his part, Mr. Pottering said any talks between Israel and the Palestinians "must end with creating two states of Israel and Palestine to live in peace alongside each other."

"The EU supports any people who work to spread peace from both sides." Mr. Pottering added.

Source: Xinhua