Osama bin Laden said in a new audio recording aired Friday that al-Qaeda will continue its Jihad war against Israel and its allies until it liberates Palestine. Bin Laden said the fight for the Palestinian cause was the most important factor driving al-Qaeda's war with the West and fueled 19 Muslims to carry out the suicide attacks against the U.S. on September 11.
"To Western nations ... this speech is to explain the core reason of the war between our civilization and your civilizations. I mean the Palestinian cause," said bin Laden in the new audiotape. "The Palestinian cause is the major issue for my (Islamic) nation. It was an important element in fueling me from the beginning and the 19 others with a great motive to fight for those subjected to injustice and the oppressed," added bin Laden.
The al-Qaeda chief said the Western media managed to brainwash people over the past 60 years by "portraying the Jewish invaders, the occupiers of our land, as the victims while it portrayed us as the terrorists." "Sixty years ago, the Israeli state didn't exist. Instead, it was established on the land of Palestine raped by force," said bin Laden. "Israelis are occupying invaders whom we should fight."
Bin Laden criticized Western leaders like President Bush who participated in Israel's 60th anniversary celebrations. Bin Laden said Western leaders were insincere in their expressed desire for Israeli-Palestinian peace and failed to criticize Israel. "Peace talks that started 60 years ago are just meant to deceive the idiots," said bin Laden. "After all the destruction and the killings ... your leaders talk about principles. This is unbearable."
The Saudi-born leader mentioned former Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, who he said ordered a Jewish militia to attack the Arab village of Deir Yassin in 1948. The attack during Israel's push for statehood killed more than 100 Arabs and forced the rest of the village to flee. "Instead of punishing him (Begin) over his crimes ... he was awarded a Nobel prize," said bin Laden.
"We will continue our struggle against the Israelis and their allies," said bin Laden. "We are not going to give up an inch of the land of Palestine."
