Arabs convene emergency meeting

CAIRO, Saturday (Reuters)

Arab governments convened an emergency meeting of their foreign ministers in Cairo on Saturday to discuss ways to bring an end to Israeli attacks on Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.

The 22-member league met in closed session in the Egyptian capital as Israeli aircraft pounded areas in south, east and northern Lebanon in a widening offensive launched in reprisal for the capture of two Israeli soldiers.

Israeli aircraft also targeted the Palestinian Economy Ministry and a house in the Gaza Strip as part of a campaign to free a third captured soldier and prevent the Hamas-led government from functioning.

"It is an extremely serious situation and going from bad to worse," an Arab League official said before the meeting began, asking not to be named. "I hope it can be stopped." The violence escalated after Lebanese guerrilla group Hizbollah captured two Israeli soldiers on Wednesday. The Palestinian group Hamas has been holding a third Israeli soldier since June 25.

The Arab foreign ministers were likely to call for an end to Israeli attacks and for peaceful settlements between Israel and Hamas on the one hand and Israel and Hizbollah on the other, diplomats said.