Dubai, July 20: Al-Qaeda number two Ayman al-Zawahiri slammed Arab leaders as “Zionists” who are helping Israel’s siege of the Gaza Strip, in his first message since December posted online.
“These Arab Zionists are more dangerous than Jewish Zionists,” Zawahiri said in the audiotape posted on an Islamist website that stated the message was produced by Al-Qaeda’s Al-Fajr media arm.
He hit out at Egypt in particular for planning to build an underground metal fence with Gaza to curb cross-border smuggling the only lifeline for the Hamas-run enclave amid Israel’s blockade.
“Who is besieging our people in Gaza and is surrounding them with an underground metal fence? Is he not the chief of Arab Zionistss (Egyptian President) Hosni Mubarak?” he charged.
“This metal fence is a shame for the people of Egypt who let the chief of Arab Zionists besiege their brothers,” in Gaza, he added.
He went on to accuse Jordan’s king Abdullah II, Saudi King Abdullah and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas of being “Zionists.”
“Who is providing his intelligence service to serve US intelligence and (Israel’s) Mossad? Is he not the heir of traitors, Abdullah, the son of (late King) Hussein” of Jordan, he said.
“And who is aiding Mossad to kill the Mujahedeen (holy warriors) and capture them? Is he not the Arab Zionist Mahmoud Abbas?,” he charged.
“And who presented an initiative (for Middle East peace), following the directions of Jewish (US journalist) Thomas Friedman, and organised an inter-faith dialogue conference where he shook hands with (Israeli President Shimon) Peres? Is he not the Arab Zionist Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz?,” he added.
He then slammed Arab leaders collectively for backing the Saudi-drafted peace initiative, which was first presented in 2002, offering Israel full recognition in return for its withdrawal from the occupied territories and a just settlement for the refugees problem.
“Who were those who agreed collectively to hand most of Palestine to the Jews, and said that the refugees issue can only be settled in arrangements with the Jews?
“Were they not the Arab rulers in their shameful initiative,” he asked.
Zawahiri, who has a US bounty of 25 million dollars on his head, resurfaced last in December, when he criticised US President Barack Obama’s Middle East policy, charging it was “humiliating” for Muslims and a “new stage in the Crusader and Zionist campaign”.
-Agencies