BREAKING NEWS
Israel on alert as locusts hit Egypt
Passover is one of the most commonly observed Jewish holidays. Agriculturally, it represents the beginning of the harvest season in Israel, but the primary observances are related to the Exodus from Egypt. Courtesy: Tom Le Goff
Posted: 03/05/2013
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. The insects 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.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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