Arab League (AL) Chief Nabil el Araby urged the international community Wednesday to support Palestinian captives in Israeli jails.

In an address to a ceremony marking the launching of a book to defend rights of Palestinian captives, Araby said Israel should pay due regard to this critical issue to bring about peace in the region.

He revealed contacts with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to release Palestinian captives in Israeli prisons as soon as possible.

Araby noted that Israel jailed at least 800,000 Palestinians since the 1967 war, noting that there are thousands of Palestinian captives still behind bars.