Arab League chief calls for international probe into Israel 'crimes'

Arab League chief Ahmed Abul Gheit on Thursday called for an international probe into alleged "crimes" committed by Israeli forces against Palestinians during deadly violence along the Gaza border this week.

"We call for a credible international investigation into the crimes committed by the occupation," Abul Gheit said at the opening session of an extraordinary meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo to discuss the violence.

Palestinians in Gaza have been protesting for seven weeks to be able to return to their historic homes they fled in 1948 and which later became part of Israel. The violence happened on the same day that the United States opened its Israel embassy in Jerusalem.