JERUSALEM, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Wednesday told visiting U.S. senator and Republican presidential candidate John McCain that Israel has the ability to halt Qassam rockets from Gaza without a major ground offensive in the coastal strip, local daily Ha'aretz reported.

    "It is possible to stop the Qassams without conquering Gaza," Olmert was quoted as saying to McCain, who was accompanied by U.S. senators Joe Lieberman and Lindsey Graham.

    By the creation of deterrence in the south of Israel which will make Gaza militants think twice before they fire rockets, Israel will stop the Qassam fire, Olmert further said in the meeting.

    McCain, who is in Israel as part of what he described as a Middle East fact-finding tour, agreed with Olmert that the situation in the south of Israel is intolerable.

    McCain told Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni earlier Wednesday that Washington remained committed to stopping violence in Gaza Strip, adding that while he would never tell Israel not to speak with Hamas, he was personally against it.

    When asked by the presidential candidate about what was going to happen in Gaza, Olmert said, "I am skeptical about what appears like a temporary calm, and am doubtful about whether it will continue."

    Meanwhile, Olmert stressed in the meeting that alongside fighting the rocket attacks, Israel is continuing to build the momentum for a peace process with the moderate elements within the Palestinian Authority (PA), Ha'aretz said.

    McCain was quoted by Israel Radio as telling Livni that he believed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was committed to reaching a peace agreement with Israel and opposed the ongoing violence in Gaza.

    McCain, who is on a week-long trip to Israel, Iraq, Jordan, Britain and France, arrived on Tuesday for a two-day visit. He will leave on Wednesday evening for France and Britain.