The recent breakout of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip poses a challenge for both Egypt and Israel. The blockaded strip of land on Israel's southwest border butts up against the Mediterranean Sea, with Egypt forming its southern border. More than 1.5 million Palestinians are crowded into what amounts to a prison.

For 10 days in January and February a wall separating Gaza from Egypt was breached, and thousands of Palestinians poured into Egypt and the Sinai. Many were carrying rockets and bombs, which no doubt will be used against either Israel or Egypt.

Gaza is part of the shame that is the Palestinian problem. No Arab nation has fostered a solution for the decades-old problem. Israel is not the only nation to blame for the plight of the Palestinian refugees. While the animosity between Palestinian and Israeli is very apparent, no Arab state can claim to be the great benefactor. The Arab nations of the Middle East have ignored, abused and exploited the Palestinian issue since 1948. It is a ticking time bomb that will one day explode into another major conflict in the region.

A recent Wall Street Journal article asked, "What if Gaza were to conquer Egypt?"; (Jan. 29, 2008). The key to this possibility is the connection between Hamas, which rules Gaza, and Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, a stronghold of power and Islamic fury in the heart of the Egyptian state. Many see the Brotherhood as mounting a major challenge to Egypt's ruling class when President Hosni Mubarak dies.

During the recent breakout, the Brotherhood organized 70 demonstrations throughout Egypt protesting Israel's economic blockade of Gaza. "Arm us, train us and send us to Gaza,"; chanted the demonstrators, along with "O rulers of Muslims, where is your honor, where is your religion?";

The Wall Street Journal article speculates the Brotherhood's real target is Hosni Mubarak's regime and the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty that it supports.

Egypt is a military regime. Many feel its upper ranks have been infiltrated by the Brotherhood and that upon Mubarak's death the regime may seek an agreement with them to secure its position and power.

Should something like this happen, Egypt would change its position with both the United States and Israel. The Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty would be in jeopardy. America would have a major foreign policy crisis on its hands.