Arabs fail to reach consensus on Gaza

Arab countries have failed to reach an agreement over the Gaza Strip following a three-week long Israeli offensive against the region.

At the end of a two-day Arab economic summit which was held in Kuwait City to set out "practical steps to stabilize the ceasefire" in the Gaza Strip, the Arab foreign ministers failed to reach consensus on a final statement on the battered region.

"Unfortunately, we didn't reach a final result because of time limits and because some are entrenched in their positions," Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told Kuwait Television Tuesday, according to The Associated Press.

"Under these circumstances, it is supposed that all should make concessions for the sake of Arab reconciliation ... Efforts are still being made to hammer out a united position," said Zebari.

Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Meqdad also said: "Realistically speaking, there are differences among Arab brothers."

Arab nations have been at loggerheads over the Israeli offensive which according to Tel Aviv was launched to halt Palestinian rocket attacks into Israel.

Israel launched Operation Cast Lead on December 22 but halted the bloody campaign after failing to reach its goals after 22 days. Israel's military campaign has so far killed at least 1,300 people including women and children.

The conflict injured about 6000 others many of them in critical conditions.

Palestinian rockets kept hitting Israeli cities until the last day of the war.

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