Saturday, February 12, 2011

BEIRUT: Revelers swept joyously into the streets across the Middle East Friday after Hosni Mubarak stepped down as Egypt’s president.

From Beirut to Gaza, tens of thousands handed out candy, set off fireworks and unleashed celebratory gunfire into the air. The breakneck speed of developments left some wondering where regime change might come next.

“We are very happy today that we were able to overcome the dictator Hosni Mubarak. Tomorrow will be the turn of the dictators in the entire Arab world,” said Issam Allawi, an Egyptian celebrating with dozens outside the Egyptian Embassy in Beirut.
Across Gaza, many thousands rushed into the streets late Friday. Gunmen fired in the air and women distributed candy. “God bless Egypt, it’s a day of joy and God willing all corrupt leaders in the world will fall,” said Radwa Abu Ali, 55, handing out sweets.

Many thousands celebrated Friday in Jordan, Yemen, Qatar and Lebanon where fireworks lit the skies.
In Tunisia, cries of joy and the thundering honking of horns greeted the announcement. Guests poured into the house of Mohamed Bouazizi, the Tunisian vegetable seller whose suicide set off a chain reaction across the Arab world, to congratulate his family on Mubarak’s resignation.

Salem Bouazizi, Mohamed’s brother, emotionally praised the revolutions sparked by his brother’s act.
“If Arabs truly appreciate Mohamed Bouazizi then they should always be free and reject dictatorships. I’m so proud that the Arab revolution started right here, from this house in Sidi Bouzid. We are extremely happy that Mubarak has left,” he said.

“I congratulate all Egyptians and I’m happy that they too will have their freedom after we too clinched ours. My brother Mohamed attempted suicide on a Friday, Dec. 17, Ben Ali fled on a Friday in January, and Mubarak quit on a Friday in February. Three unforgettable months,” he said.

In the capital Tunis, about 3,000 people gathered near the Egyptian Embassy, carrying Palestinian, Egyptian and Tunisian flags and chanting: “One, two, three, viva democracy.”
In Jordan’s capital Amman, thousands gathered outside the Egyptian Embassy shouting “mabrouk, mabrouk,” Arabic for “congratulations,” as fireworks burst into the sky.

“This is the best day of my life. It’s a new era for Egypt,” said Hawary el-Saudi, 24, an Egyptian construction worker working in Jordan for the past year. “Hosni Mubarak has been clinging on to power long before I was even born. He made us live a low life. He forced poor people like me to go aboard to work and make money.”

In the Yemeni capital Sanaa, several hundred protesters tried unsuccessfully to approach the Egyptian Embassy, which was protected by a large police force, while others gathered in a square outside government.

“Yesterday Tunisia, today Egypt, and tomorrow Yemenis will break their chains,” demonstrators chanted.
Thousands gathered on the Doha corniche in Qatar where revelers sung the Egyptian national anthem and chanted “Long live Egypt. Egypt is free, the thieves are gone.” – Agencies