Israeli papers acknowledge Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's jubilance on Thursday at winning US President George W Bush's full approval for his plan of withdrawal from Gaza and consolidation of some land in the West Bank.
But the papers do not fully share his delight. Some commentators issue a note of caution, suggesting that this may not be the end of the matter.
Palestinian newspapers meanwhile are fuming, considering the plan a recipe for future violence.
The settlers' reaction: "Sharon sold us out"
Headline in Ma'ariv
Sharon is the biggest winner. But the matter is not closed yet. Europe will rise up against America. The Arab world will refuse to capitulate.
From commentary in Ma'ariv
The Palestinian National Authority and the PLO yesterday suffered one of their greatest political defeats in years. What has happened now is that others - Israel and the Americans, and perhaps even the Likud members - will be the ones to decide the fate of the Palestinians...
In view of the change in the US position, the end of the process that started in Oslo has arrived.
From commentary in Ha'aretz
The agreement that Bush and Sharon will sign will blow up all peace agreements and drag us back to the age of degeneration and oblivion.
From commentary in Al-Hayat al-Jadidah
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon won a big personal victory with US President George Bush. Bush showered him with much love and praise and paid tribute to Sharon's disengagement plan. As for the national and political achievements of Sharon's visit to Bush, the matter is much less categorical.
The Bush of spring 2004 is not that of spring 2003. A year ago, the US president was at the height of his presidency, today he is at a low point... Bush's statements have a hollow tone.
From editorial in Yediot Aharonot
President Bush has given Sharon all he had asked and wished for... With his biased stance, Bush will consolidate the tense and explosive situation not only between Palestinians and Israelis but also in the whole Middle East and the surrounding region.
From editorial in Al-Quds
Bush is embracing Sharon, adopting the disengagement. Bush is telling the Likud members: ...Do not forget: "No" to Sharon is also "no" to America.
From commentary in Ma'ariv
Both the Bush administration and Sharon are moving away from the vision of the Palestinian state. Until today, the Palestinians had government without a state. Now they offer them a state without a government.
From commentary in Yediot Aharonot
Bush's statements are strange, bewildering and dangerous. They play with the region's political future for the interest of two political leaders who are staggering along.
From editorial in Al-Hayat al-Jadidah
Whoever tries to present US President George Bush's statements as a second Balfour Declaration in terms of their importance to Israel is getting carried away.
The most significant achievement was the emphasis on the fact that a solution to the Palestinian refugees will be outside the borders of the Jewish state, as Israel has long demanded.
From commentary in Ha'aretz
It is a measure of how far Israel's diplomatic position has fallen that yesterday's exchange of letters between George W Bush and Ariel Sharon should be considered a signal of victory.
From editorial in Jerusalem Post
The settlers: Bush's statements are dangerous
Headline in Yediot Aharonot
The US-Israeli recipe is good only for the preservation of the conflict and not for the march towards peace.
From second commentary in Al-Ayyam
To Bush: Your attempt to bring your democracy to our countries seems to be a waste of time and stems from utter ignorance of us, our societies and customs.
From commentary in Al-Quds
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.
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