The Palestinian leadership sees "progress" in the European Union's position on its plan to seek U.N. membership next month, a senior Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) official told Agence France Presse on Sunday.

"There is progress in the European stance and a willingness to coordinate with the Palestinian leadership over the type of resolution we are looking for," said PLO secretary general Yasser Abed Rabbo a day after president Mahmoud Abbas met in Ramallah with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

Israelis and Palestinians woke up to a fourth day of violence on Sunday, with militants firing 17 rockets into Israel despite an unusually quiet night in Gaza just hours after a rocket killed an Israeli.

Tensions in and around the Gaza Strip have soared since Thursday when militants staged a series of bloody shooting attacks in the Negev desert, killing eight Israelis and prompting a wave of bloody tit-for-tat exchanges.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati said on Thursday that the cabinet will continue to respect international resolutions especially those linked to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon probing the assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri.

“The cabinet that made a commitment in its ministerial statement to respect the international resolutions particularly with regard to the STL and the international justice,” Miqati stressed.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas inaugurated Wednesday the Palestinian embassy in Lebanon and hoisted the Palestinian flag atop its building, after the Lebanese cabinet officially recognized the state of Palestine and approved to raise the level of diplomatic representation with it.

Flanked by Prime Minister Najib Miqati, the Palestinian leader also unveiled a plaque commemorating the event.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea stressed on Wednesday the Palestinian people’s right to return to their homeland, which is a position shared by the Lebanese state and Palestinian Authority.

He made his statement after holding talks with visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stressed Tuesday that “the Palestinians are under the Lebanese law and we don’t need all the weapons, as we are under the protection of the Lebanese people, president, government and parliament.”

Abbas arrived Tuesday in Beirut for a 2-day visit during which he will hold talks with top Lebanese officials, inspect the living conditions of Palestinian refugees and seek Lebanon’s support for the Palestinian bid for U.N. membership.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who visits Beirut on Tuesday, is expecting that the Palestinian bid for United Nations recognition will receive a boost from Lebanon's taking over the presidency of the U.N. Security Council.

In an interview with al-Liwaa daily published Monday, Abbas hoped that Lebanon would play an effective role in his bid for U.N. membership on September 20, despite Israeli opposition.

Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas revealed he held four secret meetings with Israeli President Shimon Peres in a bid to revive stalled peace talks, a Palestinian official said Saturday.

He quoted Abbas as saying at a meeting of his Fatah party on Friday that: "I met Shimon Peres four times in Amman and London in an attempt to restart negotiations and the peace process on a correct foundation."

The Palestinians will present their bid for membership of the United Nations on September 20, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki told Agence France Presse on Saturday.

"Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas will personally present the request to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon... at the opening of the sixty-sixth session," on September 20, Malki said.

European diplomatic sources did not rule out an Israeli aggression on Lebanon in September warning the Jewish state could target state institutions, including Lebanese army barracks.

The sources told An Nahar daily published Friday that the new Israeli war would not only target Hizbullah arms depots and officials but also hit the water and electricity sectors and army positions.