Everyone knows that the ruler of the emirate of Dubai and the vice-president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid bin Said al Maktoum, has many children and wives.


Sheikh Mohammed

No one, except for the sheikh, probably knows the exact number. I will not dare to state any figures. More than 20 officially recognized children - that's for sure. Two to all famous wives: Sheikha Hind al Maktoum - the main wife, the mother of twelve children, whom no one photographed, and the youngest - Princess Haya of Jordan, the mother of two, whom we all know well.

Prince Hamdan, the second son of Sheikh Mohammed and Hind, has been declared the official heir to the emirate. For some reason, the eldest son Rashid was removed from the inheritance, whether he was rude to his dad, or he loves women too much, it is not known. However, it turned out that this is not entirely true.

There is very little information on the Internet. But the members of the Maktoum family themselves are extremely active in social networks, almost all the children of the sheikh have their own accounts, which they constantly update. Many overlap with each other. In fact, it was only through this that we managed to learn something.

It is known for sure that the firstborn of Muhammad, daughter, Sheikha Manal, was born in 1977. Presumably from a Lebanese wife. She is happily married, she has children, a million photos with all the relatives on the net. But it's not about her.

In 1979, the sheikh married his 17-year-old cousin and, at the same time, second cousin, Sheikha Hind al Maktoum.

Lyrical digression: it is not known when she received the title of the main / eldest wife, but she is definitely not the first (these are different concepts).

In Arabic forums, the Dubaians themselves (mostly women, of course) explain that since the child has the title of sheikh or sheikh, this means that Sheikh Mohammed definitely took the child’s mother as his wife, even if he quickly divorced later. I suspect this is some kind of law in the Emirates, because a Muslim does not have to get married to officially recognize a child. Maybe it's just the status of a sheikh for a child. I do not know . Just in case, I will call everyone wives.

So, before Hind there was a Lebanese wife, mother Manal.

In March 1980, Sheikh Maitha was born from a Moroccan wife to a sheikh, you have seen her many times, this is the same famous athlete. And she participates always and everywhere, and she carried the flag of the United Arab Emirates at the Olympics in London, and won a lot of things.

At the time of Maita's birth, Sheikha Hind is already pregnant with her first child and in November 1980 gives birth to a daughter, Hessa. Everything is fine with her, married, children, everything is fine.

But the sheikh has no son. And, at the moment when Hind was wearing Hessa, the sheikh starts a relationship with, as rumors say, a German girl. In any case, the girl was of northern European type. And in March 1981, she gave birth to a boy.

The long-awaited son of an Arab dad turned out to be unusual. They named him Marwan. One of the traditional names in the Maktoum clan. Sheikh Marwan bin Mohammed bin Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum. Which literally means "Sheikh Marwan, son of Mohammed, son of Rashid, son of Said from the Maktoum family." The name is also the genealogy. The sheikh recognized the boy because his name is on all the lists of the official children of the sheikh.

In August 1981, the Sheikh's Moroccan wife gave birth to a second daughter, Shamsa. And only in November 1981 Hind gave birth to a son, Rashid. So he is the second son of Sheikh Mohammed, and not the first, as they say everywhere.

There are no photos of Marwan on my father's website. The other seven sons are, but Marwan is not. I think this is due to the fact that he is not an Arab, although he is a Muslim. As well as his appearance. Painfully different from all the others.

I want to draw your attention to the fact that many people confuse the son of a sheikh with the son of his second cousin, they are almost complete namesakes, the name is only different in the fourth generation. And they rarely write until the fourth. So, the man in the photo below is not the same Marwan! This is easy to check on his page, where the man constantly uploads photos of his real father and brothers.

Also Marwan, also a sheikh, but a second cousin, not the ruler's son.

At the moment, Marwan al Maktoum lives in London. He is married to Dalal al Marzougi, a girl from a very old and wealthy sultan family that ruled for a thousand years right across the bay from Dubai, now Iran. My wife has been a development director for a major oil company for many years.

They have two sons, Mohammed and Rashid (after their father and grandfather). These are the first male grandchildren of Sheikh Mohammed!! The rest of the sons have no children yet, only daughters.

Marwan served in the Dubai Army. It happens periodically in the emirate. Communicates with relatives. Too bad there aren't many photos. I did not find a single adult photo with my father.

Sheikh Marwan is head and shoulders above all relatives. He is blond with blue eyes!


Marwan with grandfather Rashid, cousin and father



with Pope Mohammed


In the army. 1990.

with Hamdan

Khalid bin Maktoum with his cousin Sheikh Marwan.

Mecca in 2013

11/10/14 Sheikh Marwan and his eldest son Mohammed

Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum is the 35-year-old heir to the throne of the Emirate of Dubai. Sheikh Hamdan is a real oriental prince: he is fabulously handsome, owns huge fortune and dabbles in typical royal pursuits such as falconry, equestrianism and Formula 1 racing. His fortune is estimated at over 18 billion dollars.

Let's tell you about the life of a young billionaire.

1. Arab sheikh Hamdan lives in incredible luxury from birth. He was born in the family of the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, the ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He also has 6 brothers and 9 sisters. In the United Arab Emirates, Hamdan is a very popular person due to his versatile image and seeming "proximity to the people."

2. In fact, Hamdan spent most of his life not in his native Arab Emirates, but in the UK, where he received an excellent education. At first he studied at the elite military school of the army in Sandhurst, which is often chosen by English aristocrats for their beloved children. Then the sheikh moved to London, where he studied economics. After several years spent in Foggy Albion, Hamdan still had to return to his homeland - affairs of national importance were already awaiting him there.

4. In ordinary life, Sheikh Hamdan looks a little different - he loves Formula 1 baseball caps, sports t-shirts and shorts. Yes, and the prince is to some extent far from politics - he is quite romantic in nature, loves travel, falconry and horseback riding.

5. The prince is an excellent rider, takes equestrianism very seriously, has his own stable and once won the Arab Olympic Games due to his skill in the saddle.

6. The Sheikh of the United Arab Emirates is not at all like the British princes Harry or William, although he lived in England for several years. Very little is known about Hamdan's personal life, unlike his famous "colleagues", and what is known is only rumors and conjectures. One thing we know for sure - the image makers of the royal court are constantly working to ensure that the image of the sheikh is impeccable.

7. Judge for yourself - Sheikh Hamdan is constantly photographed with children, his numerous nephews and nieces, and at the same time looks like a completely charming and kind uncle. At the same time, the sheikh does not let anyone forget that he lives in luxury - on the net you can find a lot of pictures of Hamdan with tiger cubs (he can afford to have a pet tiger instead of a modest cat!), Falcons, Arabian horses, luxury cars, in interiors magnificent palace ... In a word, the sheikh is constantly in the halo of power and wealth.

8. Of course, one of the richest people in the world cannot help but do charity work - Hamdan oversees several foundations, and sometimes he comes to visit people in need of help.

9. About his personal life and relationships with women in the UAE, they speak only in a whisper. Answering a question about his possible marriage, the prince said that from birth he was engaged to a maternal relative, so there were no problems with choosing a bride - everything was decided long before he even entered a conscious age. Several times in the media appeared his photo with an unknown woman, but we will never see her face - the alleged bride (or wife?) of Hamdan wears a black cloak, showing the world only her eyes. Everything else is for the husband.

10. However, the sheikh has the right to have as many wives as he wants, so it is rather difficult to talk about the romantic affections of the prince. For comparison, Hamdan's father, Sheikh Mohammed, is rumored to have about five wives. We say "about" because the exact number is really unknown - there are only eyewitness accounts and conjectures.

In a word, even girls from aristocratic families have no way to approach the mysterious eastern prince, since everything connected with his personality is confidential information, and the choice of wives by the influential Hamdan clan is unlikely to be left to his own discretion. This does not prevent the sheikh from having a lot of fans of his attractive appearance and various talents - after all, no one forbade watching and believing!

11. The 32-year-old Sheikh currently serves as Chairman of the Dubai City Council and President of the Sports Committee of the Emirate of Dubai.

12. Like his father, Sheikh Hamdan writes poetry. The main motives of poetry are family, homeland, romantic relationships.

13. The prince is a skilled rider. He received gold medal on horseback riding Asian Games.

14. Also, his highness is fond of breeding camels, which requires considerable expenses.

15. Prince in a private jet.

16. Snorkeling with the world's only swimming elephant.

17. Hamdan works on charitable projects, such as protecting the interests of people with disabilities.

18. Hamdan's pet.

19. Among the prince's hobbies are cars ...

20. ... jumping from a height ...

22. ...climbing...

23. ... falconry.

Hundreds of people die every day in the "hot spots" of the Middle East, but it so happened that recent death only one person from this region has attracted the attention of all the world's media. One of the richest Arab noble families is going through grief - Sheikh Rashid ibn Mohammed al-Maktoum died untimely. He was the eldest in the family of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the second most important and influential person in the political hierarchy of the United Arab Emirates. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum serves as the Emir of Dubai and is also the Prime Minister, Vice President and Minister of Defense of the UAE. His eldest son Rashid was only 33 years old - he did not live a month and a half before his 34th birthday. Rashid's younger brother Hamdan al-Maktoum wrote on his social media page: "Today I lost my best friend and childhood friend, dear brother Rashid. We will miss you." The world media reported that Rashid had died of heart attack. Of course, thirty-four years is not an age for death. But, no matter how sad, all people are mortal and it happens that suddenly and prematurely. But the death of Sheikh Rashid attracted the attention of the world community not by chance. However, first things first.


Masters of Dubai

The al-Maktoum dynasty is one of the most influential noble Bedouin families on the coast of the Persian Gulf. Maktums come from the powerful Arab clan al-Abu-Falah (al-Falahi), which, in turn, belongs to the Beni-Yas tribal federation, which has dominated the territory of modern Arab Emirates since the middle of the 18th century. In the 19th century southwest coast The Persian Gulf increasingly attracted the attention of Great Britain, which sought to strengthen its military and trade positions in south seas. The growing British presence in the Persian Gulf hindered Arab maritime trade, but the local sheikhs and emirates were not in a position to hinder the largest maritime power. Back in 1820, the British East India Company forced the rulers of the seven Arab emirates to sign the "General Treaty", as a result of which the territory of Oman was divided into the Imamate of Oman, the Sultanate of Muscat and the Pirate Coast. British military bases were located here, and the emirs were made dependent on the British political agent. In 1833, the al-Abu-Falah clan migrated from the territory of modern Saudi Arabia to the coast, belonging to which the Maktoum clan seized power in the city of Dubai and proclaimed the creation of an independent emirate of Dubai. Provided access to the sea economic development Dubai, which has become one of the important ports of the Persian Gulf coast. AT late XIX century, British diplomats managed to achieve the conclusion of the "Exclusive Agreement" of the sheikhs of Trucial Oman, as the territory of the modern UAE was previously called, with Great Britain. It was signed in March 1892. Among the sheikhs who signed the agreement was the then ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid ibn Maktoum (1886-1894). Since the signing of the "Exclusive Agreement", a British protectorate has been established over Trucial Oman. Sheikhs, including representatives of the al-Maktoum dynasty, were deprived of the right to conduct international negotiations and conclude agreements with other states, to cede, sell or lease parts of their territories to other states or foreign companies.

First half of the 20th century became a turning point for the emirates of the Persian Gulf, which predetermined those cardinal changes that occurred in their lives subsequently. The once backward desert lands, with a small population, faithful to the traditional way of life and customs, received a tremendous impetus for development - huge oil reserves were discovered in the Persian Gulf. Naturally, this immediately attracted the attention of the British authorities, who established control over the granting of permits by the sheikhs for exploration and exploitation of oil fields in the region. However, until the 1950s there was virtually no oil production in the region, and the Arab Emirates still received most of the income from the pearl trade. But after the oil fields nevertheless began to be exploited, the standard of living in the emirates began to rise rapidly. The well-being of the sheikhs themselves increased many times over, and they gradually turned into one of the richest inhabitants of the planet. Unlike many other states of the Arab East, there was practically no national liberation struggle in the emirates of the Persian Gulf. The sheikhs were already satisfied with the growing prosperity, especially since they had the opportunity to educate their offspring in the UK, and purchase real estate there. In 1968, the UK, however, decided on the gradual withdrawal of the British military units from the countries of the Persian Gulf. Sheikhs and emirs decided to create the Federation of Arab Emirates of the Persian Gulf. On February 18, 1968, the Emir of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan and the Sheikh of Dubai, Rashid ibn Said al-Maktoum, met and agreed to create a federation of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. On December 2, 1971, the rulers of Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah and Umm al-Qaiwain joined the emirs of Abu Dhabi and Dubai and signed the constitution of the United Arab Emirates. Dubai has become the second most important emirate, and therefore its rulers have secured the second most important position in the country. From 1971 to 1990 The emirate was ruled by Rashid ibn Said, under whom the rapid development of the Dubai economy took place. The city began to be built up with modern skyscrapers, the World shopping center, work began on clearing coastal waters and developing a seaport. Dubai has turned from an archaic Arab town into a super modern city, the infrastructure of which was beyond the power of the indigenous people to maintain. Therefore, Dubai was flooded with foreign labor migrants - immigrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, countries of North and North-East Africa. It is they who are currently the main "working link" of the population of both Dubai and other constituent parts of the UAE. After Sheikh Rashid ibn Said died in October 1990, his eldest son Maktoum ibn Rashid al-Maktoum (1943-2006) was proclaimed the new Emir of Dubai, who ruled for 16 years.

The current Emir of Dubai is Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He was born in 1949, educated in London, and after the independence of Dubai, he was appointed chief of police of the emirate and commander of the defense forces. In 1995, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid appointed his younger brother Mohammed bin Rashid as Crown Prince of Dubai. At the same time, Mohammed began to exercise the actual leadership of the city of Dubai itself, making a great contribution to its economic development. One of the merits of Mohammed ibn Rashid is the development of Dubai air communication. In the 1970s Sheikh Mohammed, then head of the Dubai Defense Forces and the UAE Ministry of Defense, was also responsible for the development of the country's civil aviation. It was with his direct participation that Dubai airlines were created, including FlyDubai. Mohammed also owned the idea of ​​building the world's largest hotel, Burj Al Arab, which is part of the Jumeirah tourist group, which in turn is an integral part of Dubai Holding. At present, the Emirati civil Aviation carries out air transportation all over the world, but first of all - to the Arab countries and the countries of South Asia. Under the leadership of Sheikh Mohammed in 1999, the creation of Dubai Internet City was carried out - a free economic zone within the emirate. That is, the contribution of the current ruler to the development of his country is very significant, although the emir also never forgot about his own well-being. After Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid died during a visit to Australia in 2006, Mohammed succeeded to the throne of Dubai. He accordingly proclaimed his eldest son Rashid as heir to the throne.

Sheikh Rashid - from succession to the throne to disgrace

Sheikh Rashid ibn Mohammed ibn Rashid al-Maktoum was born on November 12, 1981 to Sheikh Mohammed ibn Rashid al-Maktoum and his first wife Hind bint Maktoum bin Yuma al-Maktoum, with whom Mohammed ibn Rashid performed the ceremony of marriage in 1979. Childhood Rashida passed in a rich emir's palace, then - in an elite school for boys named after Sheikh Rashid in Dubai. In this school, education is built on the basis of British standards - after all, the elite of the Emirates then sends their offspring to receive higher education in the UK. As a rule, the children of sheikhs receive a military education, since for a real Bedouin only military service is considered worthy. The hero of our article was no exception. Prince Rashid was sent to study at the illustrious Royal military academy in Sandhurst, where the sons of many high-ranking persons from Asian and African states that were once British colonies and protectorates study. In particular, the current Emir of Qatar, the Sultan of Oman, the King of Bahrain and the Sultan of Brunei studied at Sandhurst.

After returning to his homeland, Rashid gradually learned the duties of an emir, as his father prepared him for the role of heir and was going to eventually transfer to him the duties of the ruler of Dubai and the prime minister of the UAE. It seemed that the future of young Rashid was predetermined - it was he who would replace his father Mohammed on the throne of the ruler of Dubai. Naturally, the attention of the world secular press was also riveted to one of the richest and most famous young people on the planet. But just over seven years ago, the situation for Rashid changed dramatically. On February 1, 2008, Sheikh Mohammed appointed his second son, Hamdan bin Mohammed, as Crown Prince of Dubai. Another son - Maktoum ibn Mohammed - was appointed to the post of Deputy Ruler of Dubai. The eldest son Rashid ibn Mohammed officially announced his abdication from the throne. Moreover, he did not receive a single important post in the government of the emirate of Dubai - neither in the army, nor in the police, nor in civilian structures. Moreover, Rashid practically ceased to appear with his father in front of television cameras, but his brother Hamdan increasingly became the hero of television reports and newspaper publications. This testified to a real disgrace, into which, for some reason, yesterday's heir to the emir's throne, Rashid, fell. Journalists around the world began to wonder what is the reason for the sudden decision of Sheikh Mohammed to remove his eldest son from the role of heir to the throne.

When the Wikileaks documents were published, among them was a telegram from the US Consul General in Dubai, David Williams, in which he informed his leadership of the changes in the succession to the emir's throne. According to Williams, the reason for the disgrace of Sheikh Rashid was the last crime committed - the eldest son of the emir allegedly killed one of the servants in the emir's palace. Father Sheikh Mohammed for this reason was very angry with his son and removed him from succession to the throne. Of course, criminal prosecution Sheikh Rashid never arrived, but he was removed from leadership positions in the emirate. We note once again that this is unconfirmed information, therefore there is no reason to believe it unconditionally, but it cannot be ruled out that the everyday behavior of the heir to the throne could serve as one of the reasons for the deterioration of his relationship with his father and, as a result, disgrace and removal from succession to the throne . The media did a great job promoting his younger brother Hamdan. Hamdan was reported to be a very athletic person, a diver and skydiving enthusiast. In addition, Hamdan loves animals and keeps lions and white tigers in his personal zoo, loves falconry. He is a rider and an excellent driver, a yachtsman and even a poet who writes his poems under the pseudonym Fuzza. Hamdan is positioned as a philanthropist who organizes donations to the disabled, sick children and the poor. Naturally, the secular press immediately dubbed Hamdan one of the most enviable suitors. modern world. However, there were very good reasons for this - Hamdan is really a fabulously rich man, his fortune reaches 18 billion dollars (this is 9 times more than the fortune of his late elder brother Rashid). Apparently, Hamdan also has a calmer disposition than his older brother - at least, there are no scandals with his participation. Obviously, this circumstance influenced the decision of Sheikh Mohammed to make Hamdan the heir.

What happened to Sheikh Rashid?

After the disgrace, Sheikh Rashid ibn Mohammed completely went into the world of sports and other entertainment. We should give him his due - as a rider, he really was not bad. The surname al-Maktoum traditionally had a great interest in equestrian sports, and Rashid owned Zabeel Racing International Corporation. But he acted not only as the organizer of the races, but also as their direct participant. Rashid had 428 medals won in various competitions in the emirates and other countries. He received two gold medals at the Asian Games, held in 2006 in Doha - back when Rashid was heir to the throne. In 2008-2010 Rashid headed the Olympic Committee of the United Arab Emirates, but then left this position as well. He explained his resignation from the post of president of the committee by the lack of free time and the related impossibility of fully fulfilling the duties of the head of this structure. In 2011, public attention turned out to be riveted to another scandal related to the behavior of members of the emir's family. As you know, the sheikhs have real estate not only in the emirates, but also abroad, including in the UK. This property is serviced by hired personnel, among which are not only citizens of the UAE, but also workers from other countries. One of the UK courts received a lawsuit from an African named Olantunji Faleye. Mr. Faley, an Anglican by religion, worked for some time in the British residence of the al-Maktoum family. He told the court that family members referred to him only as "al-abd al-aswad" - "black slave", speaking contemptuously about Faleyya's race, and also insulted Christianity and tried to persuade the worker to convert to Islam. Faleye considered this racial and religious discrimination, and therefore turned to judiciary Great Britain. Another witness testified at the hearing former employee Emir's residence named Ejil Mohammed Ali, who under oath told the court that Sheikh Rashid allegedly suffers drug addiction and not so long ago (at the time of the trial) was undergoing rehabilitation from the consequences of drug abuse. It is likely that Rashid's dependence, if any, could also be one of the reasons why Sheikh Mohammed removed his eldest son from succession.

If the rumors about addiction are true, then death at the age of 33 from a heart attack can be easily explained. Indeed, under the wording "heart attack" in this case, both an ordinary overdose and a real failure of the heart as a result of many years of drug use could be hidden. But everything turned out to be even more confusing. Almost immediately after the death of Sheikh Rashid, the Iranian media (and Iran, as you know, is the main opponent of Saudi Arabia and its ally the UAE in the Islamic world and the Middle East) reported that the prince did not die of a heart attack. He died in Yemen - in the province of Marib, in the central part of the country. Allegedly, Rashid and the officers and soldiers of the United Arab Emirates army accompanying him came under rocket fire from the Houthis, Yemeni rebels leading fighting against the supporters of the ousted President Abd-Rabbo Mansour Hadi and the armed forces of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and some other states of the region acting on their side. After the news of the death of Rashid, the UAE authorities chose to hide given fact from the population of the country. Apparently, the report of death from a heart attack, which caused a lot of rumors and conjectures, up to explaining the death as the consequences of drug use, nevertheless seemed more acceptable to the Dubai authorities than the statement about the death of Rashid in battle. It would seem that the heroic death of a young sheikh would only raise the authority of the emir's family, but in reality everything is not so simple. The authorities of the UAE, like other states of the Persian Gulf, are very afraid of popular unrest.

Emirates - a country of rich natives and poor migrants

The socio-economic situation of these states, despite the untold oil wealth, is gradually deteriorating, which is associated, among other things, with the formation of an extremely polarized and explosive society. The well-being of the UAE, like other oil-producing monarchies of the Persian Gulf, is based not only on oil production, but also on the brutal exploitation of foreign labor migrants who work in almost all areas of the country's economy. Migrants make up at least 85-90% of the total population of the United Arab Emirates, while not having any rights. All social benefits and economic wealth of the UAE are concentrated in the hands of ruling family sheikhs al-Maktoum and the indigenous inhabitants of the country - representatives of the Arab Bedouin tribes. The indigenous population is only 10-15% of the total population of the UAE. It turns out that the emirates can only very conditionally be called Arab, since the vast majority of their inhabitants, albeit temporary ones, are not Arabs. The bulk of migrants arrive in the UAE from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka. These people, who come from overpopulated countries with very high unemployment, are willing to work for 150-300 US dollars a month, living in poverty and subjected to total police control. The majority of construction and port workers in the UAE are male migrants. Among immigrants from India, residents of the southern states predominate - primarily representatives of the Dravidian peoples of Telugu and Tamils. As for the militant Punjabis and Sikhs from North India, the UAE government prefers not to mess with them, so it is extremely reluctant to grant them work permits. Among the Pakistanis, the bulk of migrants are Baloch - this people inhabits the south-west of Pakistan, geographically closest to the Persian Gulf. Women work in the service and healthcare sectors. Yes, 90% nurses in UAE healthcare institutions are Filipino citizens.

Against the backdrop of Indians, Pakistanis and Filipinos, there are very few in the UAE who come from other, poorer Arab states. It would seem that it is much easier to accept Arabs, with whom there are no language and cultural barriers, than Indians or Filipinos, but the UAE government has been working since the 1980s. took a conscious course towards the maximum restriction of immigration from Arab countries. Note that the UAE does not accept Syrian refugees either. This is explained by the fact that the authorities of the UAE, like other monarchies of the Persian Gulf, suspect the Arabs of political disloyalty. Many Arabs from poor states are carriers of radical ideologies - from fundamentalism to revolutionary socialism, which the emirates do not like very much. After all, "foreign" Arabs are able to influence the political views and behavior of the local Arab population. In addition, the Arabs will more confidently defend their labor rights, they can demand citizenship. Finally, the authorities of the Persian Gulf countries decided to put an end to the issue of the placement of Arab immigrants after the events of 1990, when Iraq tried to annex the territory of neighboring Kuwait. Kuwait had a large community of Palestinians who were called by Yasser Arafat, the leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization, to cooperate with the Iraqi army. In addition, the policy of Saddam Hussein was supported by Arabs from other states, who sympathized with the national socialist views of the Baath Party. The events in Kuwait caused the mass deportation from the Persian Gulf countries of more than 800,000 people from Yemen, 350,000 Palestinian Arabs, and many thousands of citizens of Iraq, Syria and Sudan. It should be noted that all the listed Arab communities are represented by people from those countries where nationalist and socialist ideas have traditionally spread, which are considered by the monarchs of the Persian Gulf countries as dangerous threats to the political stability of the region.

Naturally, foreign migrants who do not have labor rights do not have any political rights either. There are no political parties and trade unions in the UAE, and work speeches are prohibited. As the American writer and publicist Michael Davis writes, ““ Dubai is a huge “closed settlement”, a green zone. This is the apotheosis of the neoliberal values ​​of late capitalism, more so than Singapore or Texas; this society seems to be inscribed within the walls of the economics department of the University of Chicago. Indeed, Dubai has achieved what American reactionaries can only dream of - an oasis of "free enterprise" without taxes, labor unions and political opposition "(Quoted from: Life of guest workers in the neo-liberal-feudal UAE // http://ttolk.ru/ ?p=273). In fact, foreign workers are in a bonded position in the UAE, because upon arrival in the country their passports and visas are taken away, after which they are settled in guarded camps on the outskirts of Dubai and are not allowed to visit public places in the city. The labor organization system in the UAE was inherited from the colonial era - then the British colonialists also imported Indian coolies who worked for nothing and were in bondage to employers. Any attempts by foreign workers to defend their rights and interests are severely suppressed by the authorities of the emirate. But even under these conditions, mass unrest periodically occurs in the country, initiated by crowds of exploited Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi workers. In 2007, a mass strike of Indian and Pakistani construction workers took place in the UAE, in which about 40,000 migrants took part. The reason for the strike was the workers' dissatisfaction with wages, working and living conditions, as well as the rate of free water per day of two liters per person. As a result of the strike, 45 Indian workers were sentenced to 6 months in prison and subsequent deportation from the UAE for endangering public safety and destroying property. However, labor conflicts are not always the cause of the riots that are increasingly occurring in Dubai. The presence on the territory of the UAE of a huge number of young men who do not have families here and do not have regular contact with the female sex, in itself, turns out to be a serious factor provoking the growth of all kinds of offenses. Thus, in October 2014, riots in Dubai were caused by clashes between Pakistani and Bangladeshi workers who fought after watching a broadcast of a football match between the teams of the two states. On March 11, 2015, construction workers involved in the construction of FountainViews, an elite residential area, protested in Dubai. They demanded higher wages. However, much more than the riots organized by migrants, the UAE authorities are afraid of the discontent of the indigenous population.

After the development of oil began and the economy of the UAE began to grow at a rapid pace, the authorities of the emirates sought to improve the life of the indigenous population of the country in every possible way, including in order to exclude the possibility of anti-government protests by the Bedouin tribes. Numerous benefits were established for citizens of the country of indigenous origin, allowances, all kinds of cash payments were introduced. By doing this, the UAE government sought to protect the country from the spread of radical views popular in other Arab countries. However, at present, the stability gained through the ongoing social policy to support the indigenous population is under threat. And the reason for this is the involvement of the country in hostilities in Yemen.

The war in Yemen takes everything more lives UAE citizens

Like other Gulf states, the UAE, including the emirate of Dubai, spends huge amounts of money on defense and security. The militarization of the country especially intensified after the events of the "Arab Spring" of 2011 and the consequences of the civil wars caused by it in the territory of a number of states in the Middle East and North Africa. It was the countries of the Persian Gulf, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, that made the main contribution to provoking and inciting armed conflicts in Libya, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. The media belonging to Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia played a major role in the "information war" against the regimes of Assad, Mubarak, Gaddafi, Saleh. With direct financial, organizational and even personnel support from the countries of the Persian Gulf, radical religious and political organizations operate in almost all countries and regions of the Islamic world - from West Africa to Central Asia, from North Caucasus to Indonesia. However, the direct support of the radical forces of the Persian Gulf countries jeopardized and own security. Radical fundamentalist groups backed by Saudi Arabia and its regional allies have long accused the Gulf monarchist elites of betraying religious ideals and adopting a Western way of life. Then, in 2011, the “Arab Spring” miraculously did not overwhelm the Persian Gulf monarchies. Today, the situation has been seriously aggravated by the fact that the monarchies of the region are stuck in a civil war in Yemen.

Recall that back in 2004, contradictions between the government and the Shiites, the Zaidis, intensified in Yemen, whose movement was called the “Houthis” after Hussein al-Houthi, the first leader of the Zaidi uprising, who was killed in September 2004. In 2011, the Houthis took part in the revolution that overthrew the regime of President Ali Abdullah Saleh. In 2014, the Houthis intensified their fighting and in early 2015 they occupied the capital Sanaa, forcing President Mansour Hadi to flee to neighboring Saudi Arabia. The Houthis created a Revolutionary Council to govern Yemen. The President of the Revolutionary Council is Muhammad Ali al-Houthi. According to Western and Saudi politicians, the Yemeni Houthis are actively supported by Iran, as well as the Lebanese Shiites from the Hezbollah organization and the Syrian government. Fearing the transformation of populous Yemen into an outpost of Iranian influence on the Arabian Peninsula, the Arab monarchies decided to take part in the civil war in the country, speaking in support of the deposed President Mansour Hadi. Operation Storm of Determination began on March 25, 2015 with an attack by the Saudi Arabian Air Force on the positions of the Houthis in a number of cities in Yemen. For a long time, Saudi Arabia, which acted as the leader of the anti-Houthi coalition, and its allies did not dare to conduct a ground operation against the Houthis, limiting themselves to constant air raids on Yemeni cities and military bases. However, in the end, direct clashes could not be avoided, and they immediately revealed the entire weakness of the anti-Houthi coalition. Moreover, the Houthis managed to transfer hostilities to the border regions of Saudi Arabia. On June 10, 2015, Saudi soldiers arbitrarily abandoned defensive positions in the city of Najran. This was due not so much to the cowardice of the Saudi military as to their unwillingness to fight the Yemenis. The fact is that most of the privates, sergeants and junior officers of the Saudi army units are themselves Yemenis by origin and do not see the need to fight with their countrymen and even fellow tribesmen. It is known that in the countries of the Persian Gulf the main part of the employed population is represented by foreign migrants. The armed forces and the police are no exception, and there are also a lot of people from other states, including Yemen. On June 21, 2015, the Ahrar al-Najran movement - "Free Citizens of Najran" - announced the accession of the tribes of the Saudi province of Najran to the Houthis and opposed the policies of the Saudi government. So the civil war spread to the territory of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The United Arab Emirates also became involved in the confrontation in Yemen, taking the side of Saudi Arabia. Soon, the participation of UAE troops in ground operations entailed serious casualties. Thus, several dozen UAE servicemen were killed as a result of Yemeni army missile attacks on Saudi positions at the base in Wadi al-Najran, where units of the UAE contingent were stationed. September 4, 2015 was followed by a new missile attack Yemeni army on the location of the troops of the anti-Houthi coalition in the province of Marib. As a result of the impact that hit the ammunition depot, an explosion occurred. 52 soldiers of the UAE army, 10 soldiers of the army of Saudi Arabia, 5 soldiers of the army of Bahrain and about 30 militants of the Yemeni anti-Houthi groups were killed. The destruction of the UAE armed forces camp was the largest on this moment military action by the Houthis against the Saudi coalition in Yemen. In addition to soldiers and officers, during the missile attack were destroyed a large number of ammunition, armored vehicles, Apache helicopters, which were in service with the UAE army. Saud bin Sakra al-Qasimi, the son of the ruler of the emirate of Ras al-Khaimah, was among the wounded during the shelling of the UAE army camp. It seems that his injury opened up the account of high-ranking Emirati people who were injured as a result of participating in hostilities in Yemen. Later, in the Al-Safer area, the Houthis managed to knock out an Apache helicopter belonging to the UAE armed forces with a ground-to-air missile. The UAE military personnel on board the helicopter were killed. On September 5, the UAE declared national mourning for the soldiers who died in the Wadi al-Najran camp.

Meanwhile, for the United Arab Emirates themselves, getting involved in conflicts in neighboring countries more expensive and is reflected in the internal life of the state. Thus, in 2014, the UAE introduced a mandatory conscription for military service male citizens of the country aged 18-30 years. It is envisaged that citizens who have a certificate of graduation high school, serve 9 months, and citizens who do not have a secondary education - 24 months. Until 2014, the UAE army was recruited exclusively on a contract basis. To serve in the armed forces of the UAE, Baluchis from Pakistan were hired for private and sergeant positions, officer posts- Jordanian Circassians and Arabs. In addition, a battalion of 800 foreign mercenaries, who previously served in the Colombian, South African and French armies, was formed as part of the UAE army. The appeal of the citizens of the emirates, spoiled and treated with free education, benefits and payments, seems to be an extreme measure. The UAE leadership does not trust contract soldiers from among foreign migrants and prefers to use representatives of the country's indigenous population. However, the latter have to fight outside the UAE - for the realization of the political ambitions of their leaders and within the framework of allied relations with Saudi Arabia. Naturally, the population of the UAE likes the current situation less and less. Especially after the news mass death Emirati soldiers and officers in the Wadi al-Najran camp. In this situation, any information occasion can provoke mass discontent among the country's population. Therefore, the unwillingness of the UAE leadership to reveal the true causes of the death of Prince Rashid bin Mohammed al-Maktoum is quite understandable if he really died in Yemen as a result of a Houthi strike, and did not die of a heart attack.

The leadership of the emirates fears that the death of the young prince will be painfully perceived by the indigenous population of the country - after all, many young male citizens of the UAE will subconsciously put themselves in the place of the deceased prince. Wealthy residents of the UAE do not want to die in Yemen at all, therefore, it is quite likely that mass anti-war protests and a boycott of conscription into the army could become a response to the death of the prince. On the other hand, it cannot be ruled out that information about the death of Sheikh Rashid in Yemen, which first appeared in the Iranian media, may be a component of the information confrontation between Iran and the coalition of the Persian Gulf countries. But, whatever the true reasons for the death of the former heir to the Dubai throne, the UAE, getting involved in large-scale hostilities in Yemen, endangered its own political and social stability. The Persian Gulf monarchies, being an instrument of the US in pursuing its own interests in the Middle East, have long been operating in the "waiting for a social explosion" mode. Whether it will be, what it will be and what will be its causes - time will tell.

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Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum - full name the crown prince, the enviable bachelor of the planet, the billionaire and just a handsome man. How does an Arab prince live?

1. Sheikh is one of 13 children, has 6 brothers and 9 sisters. The fortune of the heir is estimated at a tidy sum, a little less than 20 billion US dollars. Prince Hamdan was born to Prime Minister and Vice President Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and his first wife. This young man is very popular because of his extraordinary image, close to ordinary people.


2 Like many famous children of the heirs, the sheikh was educated in the UK, lived in London for some time, after which he returned home, where duties and business awaited.

3. As befits the crown prince, from childhood he was prepared for ruling post. So the young sheikh takes an active part in the life of his country, regularly appearing at various congresses, at which he invariably puts on a candour and arafatka.

4. But, when officialdom is over, the prince transforms into a simple, smiling guy who passionately loves formula 1 and horses.

5. Sheikh confidently stays in the saddle, which even led to his victory on Olympic Games.

6. It is quite natural that, despite the European education, the prince is different from other crown princes of other countries! For example, his personal life is kept in the strictest confidence.

7. But with small children he can often be seen - these are the nieces and nephews of the Sheikh, with whom he willingly takes pictures. In addition, you can see Hamdan surrounded by tiger cubs, falcons and Arabian horses. In a word, luxury worthy of the level of the gods.

8. But with his wealth, Hamdan does not forget about the poor and does charity work, overseeing several aid funds.

9. It is known that he is engaged to a certain relative on the side of his mother. It should be noted that the bride is chosen by the parents, according to Arab traditions, so it is not surprising that the future of the prince has long been decided.

10. However, sheikhs are allowed to have as many wives as they like, but most likely this will also be the choice of his family, and not his romantic interest.

11. Now the prince holds the post of chairman of the council of Dubai, he is also the president of the sports committee.

12. Hamdan's versatile talents also affect poetry. His Highness writes romantic poetry.

13. How well the prince keeps in the saddle, brought him first place in riding.

14. The prince also breeds camels, which in itself is a rather expensive hobby.

15. It is logical that His Highness flies exclusively by private jet.

16. On the prince's list of hobbies is scuba diving with an elephant.

17. Beyond Curating charitable foundations Sheikh supports people with disabilities.

18. The white tiger cub is the prince's favorite.

19. Hamdan also loves cars.

20. Among the extreme sports that the sheikh does are skydiving. In flight!

21. Mountaineering

22. Hunting with falcons

23. Hamdan is an excellent photographer, always ready to give advice to beginners in this business.

24. With a camera in hand

25. Diving is also a hobby of the heir.

Princess Haya bint Al Hussein

Princess Haya was born into the family of King Hussein I of Jordan. She received a European education: she studied in England, where she attended Badminton School for Girls in Bristol, Bryanston School in Dorset, and then St Hilda's College at Oxford University, from which she graduated with honors in the field philosophy, politics and economics.

In 2004, Princess Haya married Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and the ruler of Dubai, whose net worth is estimated at $20 billion. Khaya is his younger wife (the eldest is Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum).

At the time of his marriage to Haya, Sheikh Mohammed already had four wives, whose descendants are recognized, but who do not have official titles ( total sheikh's wives this moment not published anywhere, but, as you know, he still has childless wives). To date, the couple has two children - a son and a daughter.

If the first wife of the Sheikh of Dubai is not a public person at all, then Sheikha Haya is her complete opposite. She is the modern face of Dubai. Haya is a founding member of the Geneva-based Global Humanitarian Forum and a board member of many other nonprofits. public organizations. And also a source of constant scandals.

So, the princess took part in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and represented there ... Jordan in show jumping (one of the equestrian sports). And everything would be fine, but her very appointment to the Olympic team was controversial: she qualified and earned Jordan the right to participate in the Olympics in this sport, a completely different athlete. Which was then deprived of a place in favor of Haya. And Haya took 70th place.

However, the Sheikh cannot avoid questions in his personal life. Few people believe that the princess married for love, they even call her a gold digger and they say that before marriage, the princess very favorably accepted the courtship of European fans, which is unacceptable for an Arab princess.

Lubna Al Qasimi is a member of the ruling family of the emirate of Sharjah. As well as the Minister of Economy of the UAE. Among the merits of Lubna, international observers and analysts note: ensuring transparency in the management of the national economy, negotiating skills, clear planning of trade relations, and increasing the country's authority.

Sheikha Lubna is included in the first hundred outstanding women in the world. She studied in the USA and became the first woman to study abroad. In the States, she studied computer technology and received the profession of a programmer. Returning home in 1981, she worked in her specialty at the Dubai Seaport and did a lot to turn it into an international port. By the time of widespread information technologies Lubna was already a well-known specialist, had her own company and a commercial website, and was also going to do scientific work. But plans had to be adjusted ...

At 40 s small years Lubna Al Qasimi became the first female member of the Emirati government. Under her leadership (and in a favorable global environment), the annual per capita income in the UAE grew by more than 15%, exceeding $28,000 in 2005. However, Sheikh Lubna did not leave her own business either. Her company specializes in the production of women's perfumes. Part of the income from the sale of perfumes is automatically transferred by Lubnaya to the fund for the fight against cancer in her native emirate.

In the Emirates, a lot is different from what the whole world is used to. Here, for example, the “first lady” here is not called the wife of the UAE President Sheikh Khalifa, but one of the wives of the late founder of the Emirati state, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Her name is Sheikha Fatma bint Mubarak al-Katabi. She is the half-mother of the current president, who is the first son of Sheikh Zayed from an earlier marriage.

The date of her birth is not mentioned in official sources anywhere. It is only known that she became the wife of Sheikh Zayed in the late 50s. In 1960, her first child, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, was born - the current crown prince emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Photos of the "first lady" are rare. More often, her image can be found in the form of a picture, as if created for a children's fairy tale with a happy ending.

Let's not break the tradition, and if the sheikha so wants, we will imagine her just like that - in the arms of her beloved and loving husband-ruler of the Emirates.

Another strong and powerful woman United Arab Emirates - Muna Isa Al Gur. One of the directors of Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group. Responsible for the promotion and international development of the brands that are part of the company, including: UNITED COLORS OF Benetton, Siemens, Unilever, IDdesign. A young, beautiful, intelligent and progressive oriental woman.

Muna has also been appointed to the board of the Emirates Foundation, an independent charity set up by the government of Abu Dhabi to help small and medium-sized businesses in the UAE. As well as contributing to the development of youth initiatives and the maintenance of women's rights.