This is craziness!
The Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has ORDERED that all forms of New Years Eve celebrations in the city be called off in solidarity with the Palestinian people, who are currently at war with Israel.
In support of the Palestinians in Gaza Sheikh Mohammed has instructed all concerned authorities in Dubai to put this order in place and take necessary procedures to circulate the decision to all concerned parties.
According to Sheikh Mohammed’s order, Dubai will mark the New Year with a “sombre tone” as a token of solidarity with the Palestinian people in general and Gaza Strip in particular which is currently under the barrage of Israeli’s military fire.
It is unclear what impact the ruling will have on the emirate’s hotel industry which has dozens of New Year parties planned including one at the Atlantis Hotel where it has been rumoured the guest list includes footballer David Beckham and movie star Tom Cruise.
Anyone who has booked tickets for events should contact the venue directly for more details.
Wow!!! Dubai is QUITE the party town, too. I hope the Sheikh is planning to reimburse promoters for the millions of dollars that are going to be lost because of this.
Here in Dubai we don’t really know what to make of this – still no official announcement and just over 12 hours to go until the New Year, none of us are sure what to do with our plans. First reports of this were spreading late last night, but nobody – including hotel bosses and party organisers – have got the ‘official’ line yet. All we know at the moment is through rumour and word of mouth. The gossip grapevine of Dubai is legendary, so we don’t really know what to believe! Will keep you posted though.
Cheers Beet, love your work!
Politics and religion strikes again….
The whole world is politcis and religion. always. Good luck on that ever changing. The Egyptian foreign minister requested that all middle eastern sympathizers refrain from celebrating, period, until the strikes stop. Egypt has opened its boarders to refugees from Palestine and all middle eastern counties canceled new years celebrations, not just Dubia. I only hope that in 3 weeks when Obama enters office that he completely cuts our aid to Israel and gives it all to the poor oppressed, exploited and abandoned people of Palestine and that our media will finally show the Israelis as what they are, a bunch of powerful Jews trying to commit genocide against a helpless impoverished population.
does anyone no if private parties will have to be canceled not hotel ones like house parties??????????
I totally respect his decision, this is definitely the right thing to do. What are a few New Year’s parties when people are being slaughtered and buried alive in their homes.
For the partiers, there’s another New Year’s party 12 months from now, can’t say the same about the Palestinians.
True, but I don’t see how burying the emirate’s economy will help either. The hotels are teetering on the brink, with whole departments being sent on ‘unpaid leave’, layoffs and a general feeling of uncertainty. The hotels have struggled to get the guests they have, and what now? Cancel the reason they flew here? As if they will ever return – and they will warn everyone they know off coming as well.
There are so many better ways to do this.
You do have a point, and I have to admit I’m looking at this from a humanitarian point of view rather than an economical one.
But honestly, The US is turning a blind eye to the massacre at Gaza, and if it takes something as irrational, economically, as this to send out a message to the world, then so be it.
But, the message isn’t getting out to the world! None of the UK news websites have anything about this, so no one outside the Middle East knows this is happening.
It’s a bit one sided.. the Israeli’s suffer too…
You are compairing an ice cube to an ice berge D
So much agree with you,
I’m with you on this jinan. Anything to bring attention to the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding so near Dubai is only right.
does this also mean the royal wedding will be cancelled!!!
If they feel so passionate about this why was the Islamic New Year also cancelled????
With tourism there main money maker do you think tourist will want to come back again?? I know of many people over here to celebrate New Year and have paid megga bucks for this, what happens to the money paid for these non events??
I also agree the are so many better ways to go about this.
does this also mean the royal wedding will be cancelled!!!
If they feel so passionate about this why was the Islamic New Year not cancelled????
With tourism there main money maker do you think tourist will want to come back again?? I know of many people over here to celebrate New Year and have paid megga bucks for this, what happens to the money paid for these non events??
I also agree the are so many better ways to go about this.
Islamic New Year doesn’t involve fireworks and parties or anything like that. Infact there’s no ‘celebration’ at all.
So not really a valid comparison.
There were no celebrations for the Islamic New Year. And both the Islamic New Year and the Wedding happened before the massacres in Gaza.
i rescept our ruler decision, he always shows us right direction, so people and coprates if they having loses it will be very little compire to their profits for last few years, lets pray for our ruler and palestinian people.
house parties are not cancelled, in fact many hotel parties are still on also, but no fireworks and BIG downplay on all festivities.
it might have been an idea to let the functions go ahead with a % of the entrance and takings (or a lump sum) going towards a Palestinian fund, that way the hotels would not have lost so much money and we could have done something useful towards the Palestinian situation
I don’t agree to cancel the new year celebration in Dubai. There were so many ways…to symphatize our brothers and sisters out there in Palestine. Tourist in Dubai are surely dissappointed for this …i think the best thing is mandate expats & tourists to pause for about 15minutes , electricity shut off, lit a candle and says a prayer before the countdown. and Donate something to our brothers and sisters affacted by this idiot war which was a never ending and already written in the history. But I think we should not only think about those who died in Gaza but we should also think about our brothers and sisters in Africa whose dying in hunger.
Wake up everyone, there was a rumour last week that one of Sheikh mohd son tried to shoot Sheikh mohammed, and in that incident one of his body guard died, maybe who knows ..one of his son died in all that incident….Dubai does not cancel any of these celebrations for palestine or korea…only when someone dies in royal family…..think about it!!!
Why didn’t I see the middle east peaceful muslims cancel ur celebrations and festivals for your like “brothers” muslim terrorists when they attacked the US and killed 3000+ people and when UK was attacked and when mumbai was bombed etc….? so only ur brother muslims’ lives are valuable but non muslims’ lives are whatever? Why should I feel sorry for the palis when u guys are probably clapping ur hands when watching 911 news at home?
take your ignorance somewhere else, anne spencer. both sides have bloodstained hands in this tragedy, you know. grow a brain and get your news from someone besides bill o’reilly.
ohhh Anne…u r talking all wrong things ….do u have proof for who did these attacks in US ,UK aur in mumbai ….how can u say that muslims only can do attacks and what about in IRAQ cant see there ever day 100s of people dieing over there and even in palestine from many years….and in america in 9/11 the people die if u compare also palestian and iraqi they died more than americans….
and it can be happen like that also if any christian will do attacks and if he will dressup like muslims man…..later the governement will annouced that this attack was from muslims….and i agree with Sheikh he did really good job he should cancel celerations
We can’t say that only muslims did these attacks bcoz any one can put mohd. before his name and can claim to be muslim but still anne has got a point. US and UK attacks have proof as the militant groups themselves took the responsibility. After the mumbai attacks why were there still fire crakers everyday in global village. Y didn’t they cancel these. Why did the arab countries become deaf, dumb and blind when 3000+ died in WTC.
well, the story will begin from now till the next 5 days. remember all this stories tallied with each other.
I live in Dubai, and yes, it’s been cancelled. Islamic New Year, come on, they didn’t even report it being the right day, let alone make a big deal over it. There was nothing in this country, celebration wise, regarding the Islamic New Year as well. Private parties will not be cancelled, but everyone should try to be respectful of what the Sheik has ordered. If the President did it, pretty sure most Americans would respect it. A lot of money will be lost, but I’m pretty sure the lives that have been stripped away, the homes that have been burnt and the tears the children are shedding as they watch their parents lay dying in front of them, are worth it.
They should have said, any profit goes towards aid to those injured then :X
I think that’s a fantastic idea. One that they certainly should’ve considered….
Wrong. If the president did it in America, everyone would rebel. That’s the difference between America and Dubai. You’re all sheep.
Seriously? How can a fucking political figure head cancel celebrations? Or maybe I’m just bitter since they imprison people for YEARS over having left-over poppy seeds in their pockets from a bagel.
Fuck Dubai, I hope that place gets run to the ground.
I am an admirer of the Sheikh
I am an admirer of Dubai, although a lot of criticism can arise as to some working conditions there
and I like to travel to Dubai too
but most of all, if the Sheikh made such a decision
he certainly has strong reasons to do so,
and he surely is a man of wisdom and vision,
so he deserves uttermost respect.
That said, I care for all human lives that are involved in the conflict
irrespectively of their religious beliefs
you are my very favorite commenter here, mambaX. happy new year!
I agree that the whole situation in Palestine is tragic but have to point out that, every day, somewhere in the world, there is something tragic going on…DRC, Zimbabwe, Rwanda and the list is never ending. Our world is in a state of perpetual chaos! I’m not saying that we should bury our heads in the sand and go out partying but rather asking the question ‘what will cancelling New Year celebrations achieve?’ Why take the 1 night of the year where people are brimming with hope and cancel it? I think people should be able to celebrate the best of 2008, commiserate the year’s low points and hope and pray for a better (and more peaceful) 2009. Anyways, just my opininion….happy new year everyone!
for the ppl tht are cryng over the ny parties sum of the parties are not cancelled
Wht i dnt nderstand most of u party 7 days a week or at least i do wht diffrnce wuld it make if u dnt party 2 day personally im not ganna party our celebrate and for the babe tht is concernd abt the economy lol havnt u heard of the financial crisis happy new year ya’ll
Well a quiet New Year won’t harm anyone!
All the same if the festivities are cancelled I see some deeper reason for such a sudden decision. Until the 30th everything was on officially whereas the Gaza disaster took place on the 27th. Our solidarity should have been announced immediately saving a lot of inconveniences to all involved.
However, better late than never! I stand by the ruler.
Here in Israel, there have been very limited calls to cancel parties and celebrations, mostly coming from Israeli-Arabs and a few very liberal Jewish-Israelis. In some ways I think it is a shame that more people aren’t questioning their participation in a semi-meaningless holiday in Israel (we call it Sylvester here, not even New Years, because we have a seperate Jewish New Year).
Aside from the moral dillema this poses, there also is a saftey issue involved. Big parties and holidays are perfect suicide bomber attractions and I’m sure that there are a few people who are more motivated than usual over this blood shed.
Avigayil
http://sababi.blogspot.com
I have problems with the decision. You can always cancel some party somewhere because of people dying. But here is a clear religious and political background. Fair enough, but be clear about it, don’t play the humanitarian card only. And it came on short notice, very short. And in Abu Dhabi Shakira is swinging her ass, mmmmhhh…..
Something for the rumour fans: Why did Dubai go ahead with this? The capital is Abu Dhabi and this is a country and international decision, so…. is there more to it? The stress of the credit crunch can get to you… I heard things I do not want to put in words here.
Dubai has spent BILLIONS courting the rich and famous non muslim entertainers from America and Europe to make it seem like the fun Muslim country that gets the west, but at the end of the day they care about a few lunatics on a strip of land more than your Euros or Dollars. They want to grow a film and big tourist economy with the slogan “We’re the nice muslims you don’t have to be afraid of, come spent money here” But honestly, they don’t care how much money you spent making plans. You aren’t going anywhere in the Kingdom and you best be praying to the East for those poor little Hamas terrorists if you know what’s good for you.
No, the Sheikh deserves no respect, you can’t have it both ways, and at the end of the day it’s not the Muslim’s who’s plans, expensive plans were ruined.
u need to work on ur communication skills, i dont really know what u are talking about.
He did the right thing, arab or american .. muslim or jew .. we are humans and thats what matters Israel is killing innocent non-armed people .. its not about Hamas .. Israel LOVES killing people the younger and small the better.
Bless you pricne of Dubai.
So embarassed by dubai so New York next year. It, WONT be cancelled!
TOTALLY respect his decision. Its good to not be totally oblivious to other people’s troubles.
The Egyptian foreign minister requested that all middle eastern sympathizers refrain from celebrating, period, until the strikes stop. Egypt has opened its boarders to refugees from Palestine and all middle eastern counties canceled new years celebrations, not just Dubia. I only hope that in 3 weeks when Obama enters office that he completely cuts our aid to Israel and gives it all to the poor oppressed, exploited and abandoned people of Palestine and that our media will finally show the Israelis as what they are, a bunch of powerful Jews trying to commit genocide against a helpless impoverished population.
Rachael, the US will ALWAYS support Israel, and if you are dumb enough to think otherwise, your parents wasted good money trying to educate you –
Good for Egypt taking care of refugees, they get loads of money from the US as well.