Joy in Arab world over Egypt as people ask who is next?

DUBAI: The euphoria that marked the downfall of despot Hosni Mubarak in Egypt reverberated to the people across the Arab and Muslim world, but stunned most of the regimes in the Middle East and beyond where autocratic rulers apparently calculated their own chances of survival.

People in Palestine, Jordan, Turkey, Yemen, Bahrain, Algeria, Lebanon, Syria and Iran greeted with fanfare the victory of people in Egypt by fireworks, honking horns, embracing and greeting each other with joy, but there was a stunned silence in the corridors of powers in most of the countries.

Most of the key Arab states including Saudi Arabia, Libya, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain which are monarchies and sheikhdoms are yet to respond to events in Egypt -- the most populated Arab country.

It has been just eight weeks since a young Tunisian vegetable seller Mohammad Bouazizi set himself on fire in the provincial town of Sidi, triggering a revolution which has toppled two powerful Arab regimes in Tunisia and Egypt.

Inspired by events in Tunsia and Egypt, groups are already rallying in Yemen, Algeria, Jordan and Bahrain. The people have been intensely following the unfolding of peoples' power in Egypt through satellite channels, social networking websites and papers.
Turkey, one of the largest Muslim democratic country, was the first to greet the events in Egypt with Prime Minister Rcecep Tayyip Erdogan congratulating the Egyptian people and urging the military to swiftly transfer power to the elected government.

In Doha, the ruling family of Qatar described the transition of power to military as positive and important and hoped that Egypt would regain the leading role in Arab and Muslim world.

The gas rich kingdom has earned the ire of its neighboring states including Egypt over the coverage of events by Al-Jazeera news channel which is part owned by the ruling family.

Saluting the Egyptian people, the Iranian government, which has broken off diplomatic ties with Cairo, described the Egyptian uprising as a great victory.

Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had earlier called for establishment of an Islamic regime in Egypt. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said a new Middle East was being carved out that would be free of "US and Israel."

Celebrations also erupted in Lebanon and Gaza. In Beirut and Gaza, people rushed into the streets handing out candy, setting of fireworks and shooting in the air.

Lebanon's Hezbollah, which has been at the receiving end of Mubarak, congratulated the Egyptians on the historic victory. The group said it was holding a massive popular celebration to mark the victory of the Egyptian people.