Many Arabs in neighboring nations took to the streets Friday night to celebrate the end of the Mubarak era, after 30 years and 18 days of protests.. People were singing, dancing and using loud speakers to call others to join across the Middle East. In Lebanon, people flocked to the streets, honked their horns across Beirut flying the Egyptian flag in solidarity with Egyptians, while fireworks blasted across the Lebanese sky. In Jordan, thousands celebrated in front of the Egyptian embassy. Many Egyptians who work in Jordan also joined in the celebration. In the past few weeks, Jordanians themselves have taken to the streets in small numbers demanding change. “Who said the Arabs have died?” people proudly chanted in Amman. Egypt's revolution appears to be galvanizing the masses. Gaza witnessed similar scenes, as thousands turned out to celebrate Egypt's victory. Some were calling for the opening of the borders, calling it “a historic victory for the region.” Hamas, the Islamist group that governs Gaza, has welcomed Mubarak's resignation and while no official reactions came from the Palestinian authority, people in Ramallah went out waving the Egyptian flag and cheering Mubarak's departure. In Tunisia, the country many Egyptians found inspiration after the Tunisian people forced previous president Ben Ali to leave power, many are dancing and cheering yet another victory in the region. “Today Egypt, tomorrow the rest of the region,” Tunisians chanted, waving the Egyptian and the Tunisian flags in the capital Tunis. Thousands others are celebrating Egypt, in San'a, Yemen's capital, and chanting for freedoms. Earlier in the day, Yemeni security put down small protests demanding change in the country. There are more scheduled protests in the country, as many experts believe Yemen will become the next tipping point for anti-government demonstrations in the Middle East. In Algeria, citizens are planning to follow the Tunisian and Egyptian model of protest, and have called for Saturday to be the first day in their struggle to oust President Abdelaziz Bouteflikka, in power since 1999. BM
