Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defence Minister Ehud Barak made a secret visit to Jordan on Tuesday and met with King Abdullah II, Israeli public radio reported on Thursday.

During the meeting the king urged the Israeli leaders not to launch a large-scale military operations in the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by the Islamist group Hamas, the radio reported citing a senior Israeli official.

Olmert`s press secretary declined to comment on the report when contacted by AFP.

At least 1,000 people demonstrated in Amman on Wednesday against the Israeli blockade on Gaza.

The radio station said the Jordanian monarch took the initiative to seek to avoid a confrontation that might also cause trouble in his country, home to many Palestinians.

Israel has imposed a blockade on the Gaza Strip since Hamas took power there in June 2007, but control was tightened on November 5 with all crossings closed following a resurgence of violence and Palestinian rocket attacks on southern Israel.