On May 16, 2008, the Islamist website Al-Ikhlas posted an audio message by Osama bin Laden titled "The Reasons for the Conflict: Commemorating 60 Years Since the Emergence of the Occupying Israeli State."
In the message, bin Laden accuses the West of consistently taking Israel's side in the conflict. He also blames the West, and more particularly the U.S., for what he calls its double standard, which he says is manifested in the fact that it commits crimes against Muslims around the world but at the same time speaks about moral values.
Bin Laden further states that the celebration of Israel's 60th anniversary indicates that "Israel did not exist 60 years ago, and only came into existence on the stolen Palestinian land, by military force... This is clear proof of the truth of our claim that Palestine is our land and that Israelis... must be fought against."
Bin Laden accuses the Western media of "distorting the truth," by "presenting Israelis always as the victims... while depicting the Palestinians as terrorists..." and, more generally, for creating a distorted image of Muslims which allows Western countries to wage war against Muslims. He adds that Western leaders' participation in the celebration of Israel's 60th anniversary is strong proof that "the West assists the Jewish... occupation of our land, and that it has put itself in the Israeli [military] trench against us..."
Bin Laden concludes his message by promising that as long as one living Muslim remains in the world, "they will not relinquish even one inch of Palestinian land."
For more from the Islamist Websites Monitor Project, visit http://www.memrijttm.org/
