More than one 100 former world leaders Wednesday appealed for an international conference to try to revive Arab-Israeli peace efforts.

The appeal, organized by the non-governmental International Crisis Group, also called for international backing for efforts by Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas to form a national unity government and for an end to the freeze on financial aid to the PA.

The appeal is part of an initiative by the Crisis Group meant to generate backing for new peace efforts in the aftermath of Israel's war with Hezbollah and its military offensive in the Gaza Strip, both sparked by the abduction of its soldiers.

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The declaration, signed by 135 former presidents, prime ministers, foreign and defense ministers and others, said "everyone has lost in this conflict except the extremists throughout the world who prosper on the rage that it continues to provoke."

The statement calls for new Israeli-Palestinian talks mediated by the Quartet of Middle East peace brokers - the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia - and with the participation of the Arab League.

Mediators should also push for broader agreements between Israel and Syria and Lebanon.

Regardless of whether an international conference can be organized soon, the statement said urgent steps should be taken to support a Palestinian unity government that would draw more moderates into power with the radical Islamic group Hamas, which won elections earlier this year.

Hamas' rise to power prompted the European Union, the United States - which list it as a terrorist organization - to suspend direct financial aid to the government unless Hamas recognizes Israel, renounces violence and accepts earlier peace accords.

New Middle East talks should build upon past efforts like the Quartet-sponsored "road map" peace plan, which envisioned an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.

"The goal must be security and full recognition to the state of Israel within internationally recognized borders, an end to the occupation for the Palestinian people in a viable independent, sovereign state, and the return of lost land to Syria," the declaration stated.

Among those who signed the declaration were: former foreign minister Shlomo Ben-Ami, former Swedish prime minister Carl Bildt, former Algerian foreign minister Lakhdar Brahimi, former Canadian premier Kim Campbell, former U.S. president Jimmy Carter and ex-NATO commander U.S. General Wesley Clark.

Others included Shirin Ebadi, the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize winner from Iran, former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and South Africa's Archbishop Desmond Tutu.