Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Monday met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ahead of the four-way summit to be held here later in the day, the Egyptian presidential spokesman Suleiman Awad said.

"The meeting between Olmert and Abbas is ongoing," Awad told reporters, without releasing any details.

This was the first meeting between Olmert and Abbas since Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip on June 14 following days of bloody fighting with Abbas' Fatah movement.

In the wake of Hamas' violent takeover of the Gaza Strip, Abbas immediately dissolved the unity government headed by Ismail Haneya of Hamas, which took office on March 17, and declared a state of emergency.

On June 17, Abbas swore in the new emergency government headed by Salam Fayyad in the West Bank, which was rejected by Hamas as "illegitimate."

Israeli cabinet on Sunday decided to officially recognize the newly appointed Palestinian emergency government, and approved the transfer of the withheld tax revenues to it.

The four-way summit sponsored by Egypt is expected to discuss efforts to support Abbas and a Palestinian emergency government under Fayyad.