Ahmed Tharwat: Exodus in reverse

Tens of thousands Palestinians flooded across the breached border from Gaza into Egypt, thousands of years after the Jews fled oppression and persecution in Egypt by crossing the sea to the wilderness. It is ironic to see the new exodus of the Palestinians crossing into the same wilderness of the Egyptian desert, escaping oppression by the descendants of the ancient Hebrews.

Israel's decades of subjugation have left the Palestinians living on a life-support system that is extended from Tel Aviv: Water, border crossings, fuels, electricity, food and other basic necessities are squeezed in by the Israelis as they wish, based on Palestinian behavior.

The modern exodus of Palestinians simply brings out people who want to leave Gaza to get some fresh air and fresh food. The exodus does not enjoy the leadership of a Moses asking the pharaoh to let his people -- in this case -- to come and not to go. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said his country will not allow Palestinians in Gaza to starve and will not let the situation in the strip turn into a humanitarian crisis, as though hiding his national embarrassment for his disgraced collaboration with Israel and the United States in sealing Gaza from the outside world.

"I don't need anything, I just wanted to get out and see Egypt," declared a Palestinian elder as he walked aimlessly through the elated crowd. Others simply went to buy fresh food, milk, feta cheese, and gasoline, motor oil and cooking oil.

"Some went to get cement to seal the graves of their loved ones, which they have had to try to protect with paving stones, metal and boards," reported the New York Times.

As the U.S. presidential race has intensified, centering on the issue of race and on who has more sympathy with black Americans, the Palestinian exodus has not appeared to terribly concern any of the candidates. A Haaretz correspondent correctly reported that peace in the Mideast is not on America's radar. We are not talking about the right of return of millions of Palestinian refugees.

The images of desperate Palestinians crossing the Egyptian border, as the United Nations representative in Palestine admitted on BBC radio, "is a reflection of the terrible condition inside Gaza." Now it is a condition for the world to see, especially on the Arab street, where these horrible images are fed 24/7 through network TV.

The United States and Israel steadfastly refuse to talk to Hamas. But somehow, Hamas now has the only card to stop this human disaster. Another mission accomplished.

Ahmed Tharwat is host of the Arab-American TV show "Belahdan," which airs at 10:30 p.m. on Sundays on Twin Cities Public Television (Ch. 17).