Iraqi Foreign Minister Zebari attends the meeting at the headquarters of the Arab League in Cairo, Egypt, on March 5, 2008. The Cairo-based Arab League (AL) Council ended its foreign ministerial meeting in Cairo on Wednesday, seeking for greater efforts to solve pressing regional problems, especially the Palestinian and Lebanese issues. (Xinhua Photo)

The Cairo-based Arab League (AL) Council ended its foreign ministerial meeting in Cairo on Wednesday, seeking for greater efforts to solve pressing regional problems, especially the Palestinian and Lebanese issues.

In a resolution adopted by the foreign ministers, the AL council condemned the Israel's recent offensive in the Gaza Strip as "war crimes and crimes against humanity".

They held that as Israel was not responding to peace efforts and understandings of the US-sponsored Mideast peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland in November 2007, greater efforts are needed to promote the peace process.

The resolution called for the resumption of the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks, end of all settlement activities in the occupied territories, including East Jerusalem, and reaching an extensive peace deal for the establishment of a Palestinian state by the end of this year.