It has been reported that small swarms of locusts have crossed the border from Egypt into Israel. The press is all over these biblical events; even after noting that they appear every year around this time. Western media outlets, never missing a chance to bullshit, have referred to the swarms’ migration as a “cross border invasion," as if the locusts care about the political implications of crossing an arbitrary line.

Three “small swarms”—in Israeli units of measure, or approximately 30 million locusts in the stubborn American system—have now made their way into Israel’s southern desert. Some Israelis are excited to see the visitors, the locusts’ presence itself becoming a tourist attraction in Israel and Palestine (by which I mean Israel), where biblical tourism is a growing industry.

Locusts were the eighth of ten plagues sent by God to force the Egyptians to free their Hebrew slaves, which will be commemorated next week with the Passover Holiday. It is suspected that the locusts, not excited by the prospect of crackers and water for a week, have migrated from Sudan to Israel through Egypt in search of food just before Passover begins.

None of the media outlets (including this one) have admitted to covering the locusts. They just report that other media outlets are reporting the locust swarms. Perhaps they wish to avoid the signs. The signs are real—more so than the incomplete Mayan calendar that got much more attention: earthquakes; meteorites; disease; war; and the reuniting of Israel almost complete with the announcement of more evictions and the continuing development of Jewish-only settlements in East Jerusalem, and attempts to make room for the third temple.

But the question isn't, "is the world ending?” or when—because we already know it is—but, can we eat 'em?

 

Reach Contributor Linda Fawaz here.