How Arab Leaders spent Eid: A Break From the Revolting Routine?

Ever wondered what the leaders of the Arab countries do to celebrate the holidays? How do the sundry Sultans, Kings and Presidents of Araby spend their time on Eid?

This Eid ul-Fitr, 2011, some Arab leaders are feeling a bit miserable; others are beginning to show signs of stress; others will spend quiet time with their families. Still more will probably invest in some lotion for their burns.

We cast Al Bawaba's camera lens over the Arab world over Eid-ul-Fitr and its rulers' holiday period. The spectrum of leaders including ousted dictators, tottering leaders and the more stable rulers and kings, celebrated Eid in quite different styles this year.

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Gaddafi on the run, behind his 'shades'. His family fled to neighboring Algeria, welcomed as refugees,
according to desert nomadic tradition. Gaddafi's daughter, Aisha, gave birth to a girl on the Algerian borders. As for
the current most wanted grandfather, he is playing Cat & Mouse with the NTC which is trying to cement its grip on Libya.

Others were still caged at court for most of Ramadan and Eid we can presume, taking a break from camera and coverage.
The first two court sessions saw the 83-year-old toppled president at court bound to a stretcher and caged.
Now the trial of Hosni Mubarak and his sons has resumed (today) Monday, September 5, off-camera this time.

Ali Abdallah Saleh, the--maybe still?--President of Yemen, remains steadfast despite an attack on his palace which left him
looking like has had a bad tan. Saleh is defiantly claiming that he will stay in power until the end of his term in 2013, and gave
a Eid speech saying as much, while thousands of Yemenis protested otherwise.

We all get annoying phone calls from friends and family over Eid, and nobody knows this better than Algerian President
Abdelaziz Bouteflika: The President had to screen calls from his one-time ally, now on-the-run, Colonel Gaddafi. Algeria did take in
the Libyan's family, however, as a

Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah made a conspicuous appearance at Eid prayers in his country--and quickly
shuffled off for a foreign holiday. The Emir regularly bestows cash gifts on citizens.

Ruler of Dubai and Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed Ben Rashed Al Maktoum had an incredibly
busy Eid, greeting many of his colleagues within the fraternity of Gulf and UAE royalty. Just as well: it is impossible to find a parking space
at a Dubai mall over the holidays.

Qatar's Sheikh Hamad Ben Khalifa Al Thani and his Consort, Sheikha Mouza Al Misned, have a lot to be thankful for this time around:
Not only are they likely to get a new influential role in a post-Gaddafi Libya, but Eid coincided with their country's 40th anniversary of independence.

Saudi Arabia's King, who takes personal pride in his care-taking of Islam's holiest shrines, marked the Muslim festival by making
large donations to the poor and needy in Palestine and Somalia. In a televised address, he made a plea for greater world
peace and understanding, hoping that the holiday will bring better times for the Arab world.