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Bin Laden urges Muslims to fight Gaza closure

Al Qaida leader Osama Bin Laden has called on Muslims to help end the Israeli closure of the Islamist Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, according to an audio tape posted on the Internet on Sunday.

  • Agencies
  • Published: 00:36 May 19, 2008
  • Gulf News

Dubai: Al Qaida leader Osama Bin Laden has called on Muslims to help end the Israeli closure of the Islamist Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, according to an audio tape posted on the Internet on Sunday.

The speaker, whose voice resembled bin Laden's earlier recordings, said it was the religious duty of every Muslim to fight Israel's "oppressive closure" of Gaza.

The tape was posted on the day President George W. Bush ended a visit to the Middle East that he hopes will contribute to a peace settlement between Palestinians and Israelis by the end of his presidency in January.

Bush angered many Palestinians by lavishing the Jewish state with praise on its 60th anniversary, hailing it as a "homeland for the chosen people".

Israel, which withdrew settlers from the Gaza Strip in 2005, sees militant activity on its territory as a threat to Israeli security. It has shut down traffic across its borders, causing severe economic hardship.

Egypt is attempting to mediate a truce between Israel and Hamas militants who launch frequent missile attacks into Israel from the narrow coastal strip.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert put Egyptian mediators and Hamas on notice on Sunday that Israel was fast approaching a decision on possible broader military action in the Gaza Strip to try to curb rocket attacks.

"We are approaching a crossroads on a decision on how things will be handled," he said.

Rockets launched from the Gaza Strip killed two Israelis this month, increasing public pressure on Olmert to take stronger action against militants in the territory, where Israel has mounted deadly air strikes and ground incursions.

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