Gulf Arabs welcome Sharm agreement

Arab Gulf states have described the agreement signed recently in Sharm El-Sheikh between the Palestinians and Israelis as a good step forward in the Middle East peace process, while warning that the agreement doesn't fulfill the demands of the Arabs and Palestinians.

Qatar and Oman, which have trade relations with Israel, said the Sharm agreement forms a positive step on the right track, and it might pave the way for negotiations through which all issues would be settled.

The Qatar News Agency quoted an official as saying that he hopes the coming phase will witnesses a real relaxation in the Syrian - Lebanese tracks and lead to a comprehensive Israeli withdrawal from occupied lands in south Lebanon and the Golan Heights.

Meanwhile, some newspapers expressed their concerns. The Qatari newspaper El-Shark said that the negatives of the Sharm agreement are more than the positives.

In addition the English language United Arab Emirates newspaper maintained that the Palestinians gained little from the new agreement, except the activation of the stalled peace process.