Al-Qaeda: "Eliminating Israel Is the Duty of Every Believer"

Lee Keith (AP/Washington Post):

Al-Qaeda's deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahri said "eliminating Israel is the duty of every believer" in a video posted Thursday on the Internet.

He also denounced President Bush as the "caesar of Washington," and called on Muslims to support his "beloved brother" Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who heads al-Qaeda in Iraq.

See also

Hamas, Al-Qaeda Leaders Met in Yemen:

In another sign of the Palestinian leadership's growing alliance with al-Qaeda, Damascus-based Hamas head Khaled Mashaal recently met in Yemen with Abd al-Majid al-Zindani, a representative of al-Qaeda wanted by the U.S. for his involvement in supporting and funding global terror.

And not unrelated

Muslim Brotherhood Aspires to Power in Jordan; Would Cancel Peace Treaty with Israel:

Islam as a political force is moving to center stage in Jordan. The path to greater influence and perhaps dominant political power may be through municipal elections this year and balloting for parliament in 2007, independent political observers say. "We not only have the right to participate in elections, but to form a government if we win," said Zaki Saad, leader of the Islamic Action Front. Saad predicted that if his party was to achieve a dominant place in government, Jordan's relations with both the U.S. and Israel would change. Jordan signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994. "We reject this treaty," Saad said. (Washington Post)

Which is another reason why

IDF: Maintain a Military Presence in Every Corner of West Bank:

The IDF would recommend retaining a military presence across the West Bank even after a unilateral withdrawal under the convergence plan, a high-ranking military officer told the Jerusalem Post. "The IDF cannot leave the West Bank and will need to retain control over every corner there to ensure security for the Israeli people," he said. "As long as there isn't someone on the other side to take over the reins, then we need to be in control." "The West Bank requires a different solution to the one in Gaza....We need to be in control to prevent the firing of Katyushas or mortars from Kalkilya to Netanya." (Jerusalem Post)

Posted on 14 April 2006 @ 18:00 GMT