The Jordanian and Egyptian foreign ministers have said brutal conflicts like the one raging between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah will not end until Israel makes peace with the whole Arab world.

The two foreign ministers were the first Arab officials to visit Lebanon since Israeli attacks began after Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers and killed eight others, in a cross-border raid 22 days ago.

The Jordanian and Egyptian ministers, the only Arab countries that have made peace with Israel, said without a comprehensive peace agreement that includes the Palestinians, chaos threatens the entire region.

They also stressed the importance of a ceasefire in south Lebanon.

Abdelelah Al-khatib, Jordanian Foreign Affairs Minister said: "The priority is for a ceasefire, to put an end to the aggression which the Lebanese people are being faced with. An end to the destruction and an end to civilian killings, that is a priority"

Later Wednesday, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, a former European Union envoy to the Middle East, met with Prime Minister Fuad Saniora in Beirut.

Moratinos said the solution to the crisis can only be political. He also stressed an immediate ceasefire.

Moratinos said: "We have to really come, the sooner the better, there has to be an immediate ceasefire. If we have this immediate ceasefire we can work on all the political elements in order to bring a permanent, stable resolution. I think that is our objective and we are working very hard during my stay here in Lebanon."

After the talks in Lebanon, Moratinos was due to visit the Syrian capital Damascus.

Some reports say the Europeans are trying to persuade other countries in the Middle East to lean on Hezbollah guerrillas to stop firing missiles into Israel, or accept eventual disarmament.