Israel on alert as locusts hit neighboring Egypt

JERUSALEM Israel is on a locust alert as swarms of the destructive bugs descend on neighboring Egypt ahead of the Passover holiday.

Israel's Agriculture Ministry set up an emergency hotline Monday and is asking Israelis to be vigilant in reporting locust sightings to prevent an outbreak.

Locusts have a devastating effect on agriculture by quickly stripping crops.

Swarms of locusts have descended on Egypt, raising fears they could spread to Israel.

The locust alert comes ahead of the Passover festival, which recounts the biblical story of the Jewish exodus from Egypt. According to the Bible, a plague of locusts was one of 10 plagues God imposed on Egyptians for enslaving and abusing ancient Hebrews.

[VO142857]

It's plague sent upon Egyptians for electing Islamists.

[Necroscope84]

Locusts and Egypt! Spooky, hehe.

[w_roos]

Wait. I remember reading about this somewhere before...

[RoxanneDanielle]

No one truly elects anyone in Egypt... sadly, the voice of the people is not heard there.

[Beaner96]

Nobody in the entire world ever thought the Palestinians would make such a ridiculously stupid move as to elect a known Islamic extremist(Terrorist) group to their government!

I can't think of a more effective way to alienate yourself from the civilized countries of the world! The Palestinian people aren't very bright!

There is a global war against radical Islam taking place every day!
Al Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah! SAMEY SAME GI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[judymar14]

Will the other nine plagues be sent by god? Scary thought, at least for Egypt. Maybe not the rest of the world, though.

[Beaner96]

Our troops only urinate on deceased radical Islamists!

This should be a standard procedure to show as much contempt as possible for radical Islam!

[kbbpll]

What an important and compelling story. And these comments are even better.

[tvwatcher5345]

epypt elected morsi, israel elected netanyahu, logust upon both their houses