Arabic papers on Friday broadly welcome a US decision to seek the help of other nations in Iraq though a new resolution at the UN.

The press also views the problems facing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.

At last the Bush administration has decided to go back to the UN and ask it to help it to get out of Iraq's bloody crisis. But what are the chances of success? International diplomatic equilibrium is what is needed to restore peace and stability in Iraq... There is an encouraging start in the step taken by Washington to cooperate with the UN.

UAE's Al-Bayan

The US administration is trying to convince the UN Security Council to legalise the participation of countries which intend to send troops to Iraq, to replace the Anglo-American troops in some Iraqi towns, with the aim of 'reducing the pressure' on the coalition forces.

Oman's Oman

The Iraqi people have suffered much distress and have gone through tough years without progress or stability. It has now become necessary to look to the future and not look back. The international community should do its duty and give the necessary help, which should come mainly by forming an elected Iraqi government.

Qatar's Al-Rayah

There is an urgent need for allied forces to be in Iraq, because if the US had withdrawn its forces from the region following Operation Desert Storm in 1991, Turkish forces would have occupied northern Iraq... It was also the US that stopped Iran extending its influence to Basra. The US and British forces are in Iraq to ensure that Iraq does not get divided.

Kuwait's Al-Qabas

It is likely that this draft resolution will facilitate the task of the Iraqi Governing Council and the Iraqi government which has just been created... It is also very likely that this step will pave the way for many countries to participate in the reconstruction of Iraq and help Iraqis to achieve this, bearing in mind that the most important factor in the success of a military multinational force in Iraq lies in the hands of the Iraqis themselves.

London-basedAl-Sharq al-Awsat

The USA, which occupied Iraq and declared that the road to Jerusalem passes through Baghdad, has seen things contrary to what it imagined or hoped. It has not been able to win the love of the Iraqis, nor has it solved the Palestinian question by gaining the trust of Arabs and Muslims.

Saudi Al-Riyadh

President Arafat may be more experienced in dealing with the Israeli conflict and understanding US directives, but most Arabs and some Palestinians see him as searching for the impossible.

Saudi Al-Riyadh

President Arafat cannot separate Mr Abbas from his position of prime minister and appoint another person, because this would open the door to hell... Therefore it is America which has the power to either drive him away or dismiss him, not Arafat... Abu Mazen [Mahmoud Abbas] will not resign easily as many expect, since the issue of his resignation is not his decision either. There are American parties which are tormenting him and asking him to hold on to his position for as long as possible.

London-based Al-Quds al-Arabi

Contrary to some views which try to popularize the road map and market it as the only option and proposal for peace between Israelis and Palestinians... it is important to have the courage to state sincerely that the truce cannot be the only way out of this dangerous and pitiful situation.

Syria's Al-Thawrah

Continuing to build the racist security wall contradicts the whole basis of the roadmap and shows that Israel is not serious about accepting the peace process.

Egypt's Al-Ahram

BBC Monitoring, based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.