Report: Barak to visit Qatar, Oman

The Israeli daily Hatsoufeh said that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak will soon visit several Arab states, including Qatar and Oman.

The Israeli paper, mouthpiece of the Mifdal party, which is the partner with Barak government, said the visit was debated during the funeral ceremony of the late King al-Hassan of Morocco.

The Israeli Cabinet sources did not deny the news.

The Israeli paper added that Barak shook hands with several leaders of the Arab Gulf states and exchanged talks with them during the funeral of the late king.

Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy asked British Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Hoon, who visited Israel recently, for British help for Israel to develop its relations with the Arab Gulf states and to raise these relations to full diplomatic relations, the Lebanese daily al-Safir said.