Jim here in a confused Dubai who have announced today that all celebrations for the New Year are cancelled as ‘an act of solidarity with the Palestinian people’. The call was made last night by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai.
The arrival this week of football star David Beckham for winter training and pop diva Shakira for a concert in nearby Abu Dhabi have added an electric charge to the air — even if New Year’s parties are in doubt after the emirate’s ruler reportedly called off all celebrations in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza. Rumour has it that all parties are off due to other reasons – reasons that involve the safety of the masses of people planning to gather to bring in the New Year together. I’ll not type the T word here but it must be a serious threat.
So it looks like my ticket to the santuary nightclub at the Palm Atlantis (where the Cruises & Beckhams are staying – throwing a party like no other?) will be worthless – maybe I’ll frame it for prosperity?
At the tme of writing it is unclear what exactly ‘ stopping celebrations’ means in terms of alcohol, live music and generally partying on – this will be revealed throughout the rest of the day as hotels are on standby to pull the plug or at least trim down their New Year plans.
I’d love to know how you’re seeing 2009 in wherever you are and I welcome any other suggestions of how I can spend New Years Eve now? Comments welcomed but do keep the noise down. Cheers….
All desert parties are on schedule and so indoor clubs… only the major concerts, fireworks and city outdoor parties being canceled…
Just commented on this subject in the Champagne and Swords (or something) post.
Fascinating stuff Naseem, trouble is, there is no conclusive directive. This is the age old Dubai problem, the authorities bring in new laws, policies or whatever and then don’t communicate effectively what the situation is. Then the residents’ rumour mill gets to work and confusion reigns.
If you read the WAM report it can be interpreted that an individual could be breaking the law by hosting a party in their own home.
Please Dubai…….. be clear what you mean.
wow.. would love to join a desert party..
Happy New Year..
Please correct me if I am wrong.. from what I know… Hamas in Gaza attacked Israel first and then for self defence Israel attacked back? From what I read on the net.. Hamas are nothing but terrorists?
Deep,
That is the same information that I have found or is being played in the US. However, I know that our media is very biased when it comes to Israel. But, that is also what I’ve found on the Internet including non-US sites.
CC
Israel has flown over 500 sorties and delivered bombs into one of the most densely populated areas in the world after cutting off the Gaza strip from all contact with the outside world.
I don’t think Hamas are angels but there could be a suggestion that the there is an over-reaction
The Arab papers are just as biased as the western ones – you can’t but be impressed though
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG0CzM_Frvc
Wow, bummer.
I can’t imagine ‘they’ would have taken the decision lightly what with all eyes having been on Dubai for the last few months? Surely people would be looking to Dubai for a bit of decadence this new year?
So perhaps it is something to do with the T word, they haven’t come out in sympathy for any other causes?
I can’t find anything on BBC news interestingly.
Hop on over to the US. You can still get a spot at Times Square, as long as you stand sideways. Happy New Year to you. No matter how you ring in the New Year, it seems this will be a very memorable time.
My husband and I can barely stay awake until 10:30 pm, so we will celebrate New Year’s with simply being together and sleeping…him snoring too. New Year’s Day is the bigger day as we watch the Rose Parade Live. My family also gets together for a sort of brunch.
I think, I’m getting older and at a different life stage. I remember one year that I had six options for New Year’s Eve.
Given what Dubai has said…it is hard to say what is allowed, but it sounds like a nice small party at your house would be in order. Or to travel to another country.
Cheers!!
Happy New Year!
News just in!
Hotels CAN be allowed to party on with drinks and music…..
GO! figure – the Sanctuary party will go ahead as planned!
**The morning after….
The partying was permitted in Hotels in Dubai but fireworks were banned…
Spotted Hugh grant on the dancefloor, football player Ronaldino and back in time for tea n buscuits!
Was Hugh Grant smiling?
It might have been trapped wind….
hmmmm
Will throw my hat in here for stamping on….
Good on Dubai for actually coming out and condemming the acts by Israel on Gaza….
One of the reasons the Arab nations and others are up in arms about this…
Is not Israels right to defend itself, no one says they do not have the right to do this, it is what they are doing..
Hamas launch a rocket over the fence… doesnt kill or injure anyone….. Isreal catch the guy who did it, then evict the guys family all including extended family from their homes and fill the homes with concrete. Leaving the family homeless……..
One Israeli get killed and they go and shoot and bomb Gaza killing 300-400 people in Gaza, men Women and Children and most having nothing to do with Hamas.
You must remember the Palestinians homeland is now Israel, and Israel now occupy a large % of Palestine. There has been food, medical and financial blockades against the people. Most live in bombed out areas, and the United Nations and other care organisations are in there attempting to help.
When Israel bombed a mosque opposite a well known hospital which then showered glass and debree over the patients and staff treating bombing victims they overstepped the mark.
The Latest bombing of the Hamas leaders home is what will send the Arab nations into total outrage…. Not because they killed this outspoken leader who hated Israel but for killing 2 of his 4 wives and 7 of his 10 children….. as well as killing and injuring many other innocent people who where just near by.
Israel has a right to live in peace but so do the Palestinians…. If Israel bought its arms from Russia instead of the US then the western Media would be condeming Israel as being the so called terrorists instead of the otherway around…….
I dont know but to me living with hundreds of tanks and soldiers on the border of my country and being bombed by dozens of planes, having soldiers wondering the streets shooting anyone who they dont like the look of and gaoling me just because they can is a terrifying
and Terror in the highest degree…….
The whole situation is plain wrong…… and one day it will go to far… unless something dramic changes very soon…..
Agreed AC -the rumour around Doo-bye was that it wasn’t anything to do with Palestine but rather to avert a terrorist attack here in Dubai…..jury is still out.
We have a few threats down here and a few arrests one or two a little scary….. but the general opinion seems to be the worst thing we can do is continue living our lives the way we do….
I seriously hope things are safe over there and wish it was the case all over the globe… one day perhaps.. maybe 2013….
”You must remember the Palestinians homeland is now Israel, and Israel now occupy a large % of Palestine.”
Should everyone except Aboriginals now leave Oz?
Its not a matter of leaving the country it is a matter of understanding the reason, and working to a solution….
The borders which where established in 1967, were agreed too by both sides, however Israel following the current occupation has much reduced Palestian borders. Then there is the blockades and general treatment of the people on both sides.
As for should everyone except the Aboriginals leave OZ.. No the aboriginals have much of their spiritual homeland handed back to them through Native title, if you want to go that road though AEP perhaps Ireland should be left to the Irish as well….
Keep up the good work. Everyone is opened to there opinion. Excellent blog here, i am still reading