UNITED......of NOTHING

AQUI, los verdaderos TERRORISTAS del Mundo.

BOYCOTT ISRAEL - ZIONISM

"PAREMOS EL GENOCIDIO EN GAZA"

ISRAEL: criminal de guerra

#OPINIÓN | En el más reciente episodio, el régimen israelí advirtió a cientos de miles de habitantes del norte de la franja de Gaza que abandonaran sus viviendas, pues la zona sería atacada por aviones bombarderos de Tel Aviv. Ello generó, hacia el sur de ese inmenso campo de refugiados.

 

Leer articulo completo AQUI.

SI YO FUERA PALESTINO...

#OPINIÓN | Desde 1948, los palestinos viven condenados a humillación perpetua. No pueden ni respirar sin permiso. Han perdido su patria, sus tierras, su agua, su libertad, su todo. Ni siquiera tienen derecho a elegir a sus gobernantes.

Leer articulo completo AQUI

STOP ZIONISM

'We teach life, sir' - "Nosotros enseñamos vida, señor"

Rafeef Ziadah 'We teach life, sir' - "Nosotros enseñamos vida, señor"

"Shades of anger" - "Las tonalidades de la ira"

A poem written and read by Rafeef Ziadah

Allow me to speak my Arab tongue before they occupy my language as well. Allow me to speak my mother tongue before they colonise her memory as well. I am an Arab woman of color. and we come in all shades of anger.

Presenta petición de ingreso a la ONU

Ya es hora de que el pueblo palestino viva libre: Abbas

*El líder de la ANP dice: pese a que Israel sigue el acoso, estamos dispuestos a retomar las pláticas
*Demanda que los asentamientos construidos en Cisjordania sean considerados ilegales
*Netanyahu: la paz no se logra con resoluciones de Naciones Unidas, sino con negociaciones

Mahmoud Abbas presentó ayer formalmente la solicitud de ingreso del Estado palestino como miembro de la Organización de Naciones Unidas. En Cisjordania, donde las muestras de júbilo no se hicieron esperar, los habitantes señalaron: Hemos recuperado la dignidad.

El país de las libertades - The Country of the Freedom .....

7 Questions for Defenders of Israel's Inhumane Siege of Gaza

The Gaza blockade has nothing to do with Israel defending itself.

AlterNet / By Joshua Holland

Apologists for the brutal siege of Gaza base their defense largely on a single, spectacularly dishonest argument: that Israel is only trying to keep arms out of Gaza -- arms that Hamas might use against Israeli civilians.

It’s a red herring of monstrous proportions, made more pernicious by the brutal effects of the blockade it supports. It’s dishonest because people around the world are not outraged by the idea of Israel keeping weapons out of the hands of Hamas. The entire world (perhaps aside from the United States and Israel) is appalled by the gradual strangulation of the people of Gaza -- young and old, innocent and guilty-- under an intentional man-made humanitarian crisis.

It’s imperative that people of good conscience not let Israel’s defenders get away with this bait-and switch. Israel’s “right to defend itself” has nothing to do with the moral outrage caused by the blockade. But it is nonetheless becoming the center of the debate.

In order to keep the focus on the real issue, here are seven questions for those who continue to claim the siege is about Israel’s security. If you encounter such an argument, just concede the point that Israel has every right in the world to check incoming containers for weapons, at least for the sake of argument, and then launch right into these Columbo-style questions. They’re impossible to answer. (Unless otherwise noted, this is the source for the following info).

Impossible-to-Answer Question #1: What’s the connection between a hungry Palestinian population and keeping weapons out of the hands of Hamas? I know Israel says it’s letting in enough food in to prevent a humanitarian crisis, but UN officials have called the situation "grim," "deteriorating" and a "medieval siege." A bare minimum of 400 truckloads of goods needs to enter Gaza per week, and an average of 171 get in. According to the World Health Organization, one in 10 Gazans suffer from “chronic malnutrition,” and the UN says six in 10 Gaza households are "food insecure."
Question #2: What changed?
Question #3: Is Israel afraid of some sort of deadly sweet-and-savory weapon?
Question #4: Israel attacked Gaza’s main power plant in 2006, and it won’t let the Gazans bring in the parts needed to restore its output to the previous levels. The majority of houses in Gaza experience power outages of at least eight hours per day, but some have no juice for as much as 12 hours a day. So, you know: Is Israel worried about rechargeable weapons of some sort?
Question #5: So, Israel “has not permitted supplies into the Gaza Strip to rebuild the sewage system,” and Amnesty International says that up to 95 percent of the water in Gaza isn’t healthy for human consumption. There isn’t enough power to run the desalination and sewage facilities, so significant amounts of sewage are seeping into Gaza's coastal aquifer, the population’s main source of water. Help me understand what Israel is defending against, here? Some sort of frozen ice-missile technology?
Question #6: How does barring the export of all goods from Gaza keep weapons out of Gaza? Am I not getting what the words “out” and “in” mean? The World Health Organization says, "In the Gaza Strip, private enterprise is practically at a standstill as a consequence of the blockade. 98 percent of industrial operations have been shut down.” Not sure how further impoverishing Gaza’s already poor population makes Israel more secure -- help me understand?
Question #7: If it’s about keeping weapons out of Gaza, then why won’t Israel allow in medical equipment, spare parts and the building materials necessary to rebuild the health-care infrastructure that was devastated in the 2008 war? The World Health Organization says the blockade has "accelerated the degeneration" of Gaza’s health system. Is the idea that keeping the health-care system down will make people too weak and infirm to pick up a weapon?

These questions are unanswerable because the blockade of Gaza is about keeping goods from flowing in and out of Gaza. Push them on their answers. Are they saying it enhances Israel’s security because people who are jobless, hungry, poor and in bad health may have less will to resist? That’s the definition of collective punishment, a serious crime since World War II, when the world reacted with revulsion to the collective punishments meted out by the Axis powers to the populations of the territories they occupied.

The argument that Israel is only keeping weapons out of the hands of terrorists is not a minor distraction. As I wrote last week, the Israeli government is an occupying power that exercises “effective control” over Gaza. Some have argued that Gaza is an independent entity at war with Israel, and the Israeli Supreme Court agreed, ruling that Israel “had no commitment 'to deal with the welfare of the residents of the Gaza Strip or to allow unlimited amounts of goods and merchandise' to pass through, but only vital and humanitarian goods."

But outside of Israel it’s not a serious claim. According to the United Nations, “Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem [are designated] as Occupied Palestinian Territory… that definition hasn't changed." The United States government, Israel’s closest ally, says unambiguously: “West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement… permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; Israel removed settlers and military personnel from the Gaza Strip in August 2005.”

As an occupying power, Israel does have the right to keep weapons out of Gaza. But it also has a legal responsibility to safeguard the well-being of the civilian population. This is why the whole narrative of keeping rockets out is such a insidious lie.

The suffering in Gaza doesn't make Israel any safer. As the progressive pro-Israel group J Street noted, “Israel is a world leader in the monitoring and border control technology necessary to ensure weapons are not moved across the border into Gaza.” It added: “with fewer soldiers and resources assigned to enforcing the current blockade on non-military items, Israel could more effectively devote its energies to detecting and closing the tunnels through which Hamas is currently shipping arms.” Israel claims that just about any aid could be "diverted" to Hamas, but as the BBC notes, aid groups working in Gaza "have stringent monitoring systems in place."

For supporters of the siege, the value of the defense argument is simple to grasp. Intercepting weapons is a military objective. In international law, an occupying power has broad leeway in the use of force to accomplish military objectives. The siege of Gaza is, and always was, meant to crush Gaza’s economy, impose severe suffering on the population and ultimately make it impossible for Hamas to govern. The Israeli government has not hidden this fact. As J Street put it, "Israeli officials have repeatedly characterized their blockade policy in the following terms: ‘No prosperity, no development, no humanitarian crisis.’" When the siege was first imposed, Dov Weisglass, an adviser to then Prime-Minister Ehud Olmert, explained, "The idea is to put the Palestinians on a diet, but not to make them die of hunger."

The blockade’s objective is political, not military. It’s a collective punishment of the entire population of Gaza (approximately half of whom are under 18 years of age). It is a violation of the 4th Geneva Convention. It’s a serious crime. And the world is calling for Israel to bring it to an end, not to stop intercepting weapons.

To read the article HERE.

Firmas contra el Ataque a la flotilla humanitaria en Gaza

Petición a los gobiernos y a las organizaciones internacionales:
Exigimos una investigación internacional inmediata sobre el ataque a la flotilla, la rendición de cuentas por parte de los responsables, y el fin del bloqueo de Gaza.


El letal ataque israelí a la flotilla humanitaria que se dirigía rumbo a Gaza ha provocado indignación a nivel mundial. Esta vez, no podemos aceptar palabras vacías por parte de nuestros líderes. Es hora de exigir acción.

La petición será entregada a las Naciones Unidas y los principales líderes mundiales cuando alcancemos el objetivo de 200,000 firmas -- ¡firma y únete al llamamiento mundial por la verdad, la rendición de cuentas, y la justicia en Gaza!

El mortífero ataque israelí a la flotilla humanitaria que se dirigía hacia Gaza ha dejado al mundo en estado de shock.

Al igual que cualquier otra nación, Israel tiene el derecho a la legítima defensa. Sin embargo, este incidente constituye un uso desproporcionado de la fuerza bruta para defender una política monstruosa y letal: el bloqueo israelí de Gaza, en donde dos tercios de las familias no saben dónde encontraran su próxima comida.

Las Naciones Unidas, la Unión Europea y la mayoría de los países y de las organizaciones multilaterales ya le han exigido a Israel que levante de inmediato el bloqueo, y ahora están demandando que lleve a cabo una investigación exhaustiva sobre el ataque a la flotilla. Pero sin una presión masiva por parte de los ciudadanos, nuestros líderes podrían limitar su respuesta a palabras vacías; como lo han hecho tantas veces hasta ahora.

Alcemos un clamor tan ensordecedor que no pueda ser ignorado. Firma la petición exigiendo una investigación independiente sobre el ataque, la rendición de cuentas por parte de los responsables, y un fin inmediato al bloqueo en Gaza. Haz clic para firmar la petición, y reenvía este mensaje a todos tus conocidos:

http://www.avaaz.org/es/gaza_flotilla/?vl

Judíos; no son las víctimas sino los verdaderos asesinos..

NI PERDóN, NI OLVIDO...........

Israel debe ser juzgado por la Corte Penal Internacional

Petición Universal

Para validar su firma pinche AQUI.

Gracias por su colaboración!

SOLIDARIDAD CON EL PUEBLO PALESTINO

Gaza appeal projected onto BBC Broadcasting House Portland Place

PROTESTAN CONTRA EL EDIFICIO DE LA BBC DE LONDRES QUE SE NEGO A PASAR UN ANUNCIO SOLICITANDO AYUDA EN GAZA, el sistema de protesta incluyo proyecciones de niños de Gaza sobre los muros de, esta es una interesante idea de protesta que no dudo podria impactar, ya lo veo, imagenes de niños pobres contra los muros de la Secretaria de Hacienda, o imagenes de los desinformadores de tele-vicio contra sus muros:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

In light of the BBC's continued refusal to air the Disasters Emergency Committee aid appeal members of the UK section of the International Solidarity Movement, have decided to utilise the BBC's Portland Place Broadcasting House building as the backdrop for a public projection of the appeal.

The rejection of the BBC to air the appeal has sparked outrage amongst its license fee payers, public figures such as the Archbishop of York, members of the government as well as it's own journalists. The BBC has claimed that airing the appeal would be detrimental to it's position of impartiality. Nonetheless, John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York has stated that "By declining the request, the BBC has already taken sides and forsaken impartiality." If the BBC are not willing to screen the appeal, then we will. The members of the public have a right to see it and to determine for themselves whether they wish to contribute or not. It is not for the BBC to take the decision out of its fee payers hands.
Additional Information:
The International Solidarity Movement (ISM) is a non-violent global movement dedicated to resistance to the ongoing illegal occupation of Palestinian land by the Israeli state. Based predominantly in Palestine international activists alongside Palestinian citizens seek to challenge the Israeli occupation through non-violent means and through dissemination of information and the realities of the occupation. For additional information please go to www.palsolidarity.org or www.ism-london.co.uk

Crímenes de guerra

Find more photos like this on Palestinian Mothers

HOMERO CAMPA

Israel no tiene "justificación legal o moral para lanzar misiles contra blancos civiles". Su actitud no sólo viola las leyes internacionales sobre los derechos humanos, asociadas en primer lugar con el derecho a la vida, sino que "constituye un crimen de guerra".Tajante es el informe que Richard Falk, relator especial de Naciones Unidas para los Territorios Palestinos, presentó el sábado 9 ante el Consejo de Derechos Humanos (CDH) de la ONU, reunido en "sesión especial".Con base en ese documento, tres días después -lunes 12- el CDH aprobó una resolución que "condena las operaciones militares realizadas por Israel" en la Franja de Gaza, las cuales "han resultado en masivas violaciones a los derechos humanos de los palestinos y en la sistemática destrucción de su infraestructura".Fueron 33 los países que votaron a favor, incluido México, mientras que 13 se abstuvieron y uno más, Canadá, se pronunció en contra.En su informe, Falk denuncia que las autoridades israelíes le impidieron cumplir con su misión de monitorear la situación de derechos humanos en los territorios palestinos. El relator de la ONU viajó a Tel Aviv el pasado 14 de diciembre. Al llegar al aeropuerto Ben Gurión, la policía israelí lo detuvo y lo encerró durante 15 horas en una "celda de confinamiento". Al día siguiente lo expulsó.Ese trato a un representante de la ONU "levanta serios cuestionamientos" sobre las obligaciones que Israel tiene como "Estado cooperante" de la organización internacional, señala Falk en su informe.En los hechos, a Israel parece no importarle ser "Estado cooperante" de la ONU: el jueves 15 el ejército de ese país bombardeó la sede en Gaza de la Agencia de Naciones Unidas para los Refugiados Palestinos (UNRWA, por sus siglas en inglés). Tal ataque coincidió con la visita del secretario general de la ONU, Ban Ki-moon, a la zona de conflicto.Violaciones sistemáticasRichard Falk es ciudadano estadunidense de religión judía. Experto en derechos humanos y conflictos internacionales, ha publicado unos 20 libros sobre estos temas. Es catedrático de las universidades de Princeton y de California, así como miembro de organizaciones internacionales a favor de la paz. El 26 de marzo de 2008, el CDH de la ONU lo nombró su relator para los territorios palestinos.Las declaraciones y artículos publicados por Falk en las prensas estadunidense y europea suelen ser polémicas; incluso han provocado el enojo de Washington y Tel Aviv. En noviembre pasado, por ejemplo, puso en duda la versión oficial de Washington sobre los ataques terroristas del 11 de septiembre de 2001 contra las Torres Gemelas de Nueva York y señaló la responsabilidad del gobierno de George W. Bush en esos hechos; en junio de 2007 comentó que "algunas políticas" del gobierno Israelí contra los palestinos eran comparables a las de los nazis contra los judíos.Y ahora, en su informe ante el CDH, Falk refuta los argumentos que Israel esgrime para justificar sus ataques militares en la Franja de Gaza y exhibe las violaciones al derecho internacional cometidas por el ejército de ese país. Si bien Israel alega que sus tropas se retiraron de la Franja de Gaza en 2005, por lo cual no es una "fuerza ocupante", el relator de la ONU asegura en su informe: "El persistente control que Israel mantiene sobre las fronteras, el espacio aéreo y las aguas territoriales palestinas conlleva un carácter que le permite mantener legalmente la categoría de fuerza ocupante" aun antes del 27 de diciembre, día en que inició sus operaciones militares.Por lo que atañe a las declaraciones de la ministra de Relaciones Exteriores de Israel, Tzipi Livi, en el sentido de que no existe en la Franja de Gaza una crisis humanitaria, Falk refuta en su documento: Debido al bloqueo que Israel impuso a esta zona durante 18 meses -que impidió el ingreso de alimentos, medicamentos y combustibles, entre otros productos-, la población palestina "ya experimentaba una crisis humanitaria de magnitud severa antes del 27 de diciembre".El representante de la ONU enfatiza que dicho bloqueo "es ilegal", pues impone "un castigo masivo" a los palestinos, lo cual viola los artículos 33 y 55 de la Cuarta Convención de Ginebra. Este último artículo exige a la fuerza ocupante "garantizar que la población civil tenga suficientes alimentos y que sus necesidades de salud sean atendidas".Así mismo, señala: "Tal bloqueo no altera el carácter de los ataques de los misiles artesanales lanzados desde Gaza, pero desde el punto de vista legal sugiere dos conclusiones importantes: primero, que el grado del daño civil resultante de la conducta ilegal de Israel fue mucho mayor que el de la conducta ilegal palestina; segundo, que cualquier esfuerzo para lograr un cese al fuego sostenible debe asegurar que tanto Israel como Hamas respeten la Ley Internacional Humanitaria", lo que significa que Tel Aviv debe suspender las "interferencias" que realiza sobre bienes destinados a la población palestina, los cuales "son necesarios para mantener una vida civil normal".Falk arguye que si bien Israel "reivindica su actual campaña militar como 'razonable' y 'necesaria' debido a la magnitud y severidad de los ataques atribuidos a Hamas con misiles artesanales dirigidos contra la población civil de las ciudades de Sderot y Asdod, ubicadas en el sur de Israel", las cosas no son así.Y refuta: Israel fue el primero que, de facto, rompió la tregua establecida con Hamas en julio de 2008, pues el 4 de noviembre pasado el ejército israelí utilizó "mayor fuerza letal" en un ataque realizado a la Franja de Gaza, lo que, sostiene, "condujo directamente a un incremento en los lanzamientos de misiles desde Gaza"."También resulta relevante que Hamas haya ofrecido en repetidas ocasiones extender el cese al fuego, inclusive por 10 años, siempre y cuando Israel levantara el bloqueo. Hasta donde se sabe, esta posibilidad diplomática no fue explorada por Israel", dice Falk.Incluso añade que ello "tiene una relevancia legal, dado que un principio cardinal de la Carta de la ONU es que el uso de la fuerza debe ser el último recurso, lo que obliga a Israel a basarse en la buena fe y en medidas no violentas para solucionar el problema de los ataques con misiles artesanales".
Armas prohibidas
Falk también subraya en su informe que los ataques lanzados desde Gaza de ningún modo justifican "legal o moralmente a Israel para lanzar misiles contra blancos civiles". "Este comportamiento -insiste- es una violación a las Leyes Internacionales sobre Derechos Humanos (LIDH), asociadas con el derecho a la vida, al tiempo que constituye también un crimen de guerra". De igual manera sostiene que, a la luz del derecho internacional, Israel no aplicó la fuerza de manera proporcional a la provocación de Hamas, pues "durante el período de cese al fuego previo al 27 de diciembre, no hubo una sola muerte causada por los misiles artesanales lanzados desde Gaza". En cambio, Israel realizó "una campaña militar mayor contra una sociedad palestina básicamente indefensa, ya gravemente debilitada por el bloqueo".Hasta el jueves 15, los palestinos muertos por los ataques israelíes sumaban mil 200, los heridos ascendían a 4 mil 500. De ellos, por lo menos un tercio son niños. En contraste, por la parte israelí habían muerto 12 soldados y un civil. "La desigualdad en la cifra de víctimas es una medida de esta desproporción en el uso de la fuerza; otra es el grado de devastación y la magnitud de los ataques", asienta Falk en su informe.Y señala que estos ataques están dirigidos no sólo contra edificios públicos e instalaciones de la policía ubicadas en zonas densamente pobladas, sino contra blancos civiles: escuelas, viviendas, mezquitas, hospitales y ambulancias. Ello, afirma, "agrega peso a los alegatos en el sentido de que el uso de la fuerza por parte de Israel constituye una forma de 'agresión' prohibida por la Ley Internacional y que, con toda seguridad, es excesiva en relación con los criterios de 'proporcionalidad' y 'necesidad'".El informe refiere además que Israel utiliza armas prohibidas por la Ley Internacional. Enumera: gas de fósforo en obuses y misiles, que quema la carne hasta el hueso; "explosivos de metal de inserción densa" (DIME, por sus siglas en inglés), que cortan en pedazos a las víctimas y elevan el riesgo de cáncer en los sobrevivientes; uranio debilitado asociado con bombas de penetración profunda, llamadas bunker buster, utilizadas contra los túneles de Gaza, cuya radiación podría persistir durante siglos causando diversas enfermedades". En sus recomendaciones al CDH, Falk habla de impulsar en la Asamblea General de la ONU iniciativas para investigar los "crímenes de guerra" cometidos por Israel durante su reciente ofensiva militar en la Franja de Gaza.

APAGA LA TELE: OCUPATION 101

Documental que relata la vida dentro de la Franja de Gaza hasta antes del ataque criminal, miserable de los lideres israelíes, que tras 21 días de asesinato genocida, ahora llaman a un alto al fuego unilateral, sin embargo quedándose ocupando la Franja de Gaza, esto apunta a que el plan original de la masacre era la ocupación indefinida de la Franja, rica en gas en sus costas. Si esto resulta cierto, estamos ante la primera guerra de invasión por recursos naturales del siglo 21, algo que analistas habían pronosticado hace poco tiempo.
LINK AL VIDEO: DELE AQUI.

How Israeli Intelligence Fabricated a Frequently-Repeated Myth to Justify Tel Aviv's Aggression

By Ira Chernus, Foreign Policy in Focus.

AlterNet

Israeli intelligence concluded after Camp David that Yassir Arafat was willing to follow the Oslo process -- but that's not what they told lawmakers.

All of the suffering in Gaza -- indeed, all of the suffering endured by Palestinians under Israeli occupation for the last eight years -- could have been avoided if Israel negotiated a peace agreement with Yasser Arafat when it had the chance, in 2001.
What chance? The official Israeli position is that there was no chance, "no partner for peace." That’s what Israeli leaders heard from their Military Intelligence (MI) service in 2000 after the failure of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations at Camp David. Arafat scuttled those talks, MI told the leaders, because he was planning to set off a new round of violence, a second intifada.
Now former top officials of MI say the whole story, painting Arafat as a terrorist out to destroy Israel, was an intentional fiction. That’s the most explosive finding in an investigative report just published in Israel’s top newspaper, Ha’aretz, by one of its finest journalists, Akiva Eldar.
Tale of Two Tales
Much like our own CIA, Eldar’s sources say, Israeli military intelligence has two versions of every story. MI analysts give their findings to government policymakers in oral reports that simply tell the political leaders what they want to hear. Meanwhile, the analysts keep the truth secret, filed away in written documents, waiting to be pulled out to cover MI’s posterior if the government’s policies turned out to be failures.
Much of the information in the Ha’aretz report comes from Ephraim Lavie, an honors graduate of Israel’s National Security College who rose through the ranks in MI's research section and eventually became head of MI's Palestinian research unit during the era of the Camp David talks. "Defining Arafat and the PA as 'terrorist elements' was the directive of the political echelon," said Lavie. "The unit's written analyses were presenting completely different assessments, based on reliable intelligence material."
The idea that "there is no one to talk to and nothing to talk about," simply because Arafat rejected the Israeli offer at Camp David, just wasn't true. But it was what the politicians wanted to hear.
Journalist Eldar found others who had worked inside MI to corroborate Lavie’s story. General Gadi Zohar, who once headed the MI terrorism desk, agrees the heads of the MI research unit "developed and advanced the 'no partner' theory and [the notion] that 'Arafat planned and initiated the intifada' even though it was clear at that time that this was not the researchers' reasoned professional opinion."
In fact, these intelligence veterans say, MI concluded after Camp David that Arafat was willing to follow the Oslo process and abide by interim agreements. He wanted to keep the negotiating process alive, and even told his staff to prepare public opinion to accept an agreement that would include compromises. He thought violence would not help his cause. In late September of 2000, when violence did erupt in a second intifada, it was purely a popular protest, MI found. Arafat and his advisors never expected it, much less planned it.
They did let the violence go on, to put pressure on the Israelis in future negotiations. But Israeli leaders had already made it clear they would make no more compromises. That’s exactly why MI invented the story of Arafat’s intransigence and commitment to violence; MI was giving the political leaders oral briefings that supported policies the politicians had already agreed on. As Lavie puts it, the MI research unit was an instrument in the politicians' propaganda campaign.

Bin Laden urges jihad against Israel over Gaza

CLICK TO THE VIDEO

CAIRO, Egypt – Osama bin Laden urged Muslims to launch a jihad against Israel, seeking to harness anger over the Gaza offensive with a new message posted on the Internet on Wednesday.
The al-Qaida chief vowed to open "new fronts" against the U.S. and its allies beyond Iraq and Afghanistan and also criticized Arab leaders, accusing most of them of being allies of the U.S. and Israel.
The White House dismissed the call to jihad, saying it reflects bin Laden's isolation and shows he is trying to remain relevant at a time when his ideology and mission are being challenged.
Bin Laden spoke in a 22-minute audiotape posted on Islamic militant Web sites where al-Qaida usually issues its messages. The 51-year-old al-Qaida leader has been in hiding since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, believed to be living somewhere along the lawless Pakistan-Afghan border.
It was bin Laden's first tape since May and came nearly three weeks after Israel launched the offensive against Hamas that Gaza medical officials say has killed more than 1,000 Palestinians.
He said President-elect Barack Obama has received a "heavy inheritance" from George W. Bush — two wars and "the collapse of the economy." He predicted that burden will render the U.S. unable to sustain a long fight against the mujahedeen, or holy warriors.
There is "only one strong way to bring the return of Al-Aqsa and Palestine, and that is jihad in the path of God," Bin Laden said, referring to the revered Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. "The duty is to urge people to jihad and to enlist the youth into jihad brigades."
He also appealed for donations to finance the fight, saying the "tithes from any of the great Muslim or Arab traders" would be enough "for jihad on all the fronts."
The authenticity of the tape could not be independently confirmed. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said he had no reason to question its authenticity but was not certain whether the U.S. had verified the voice.
"It appears this tape demonstrates his isolation and continued attempts to remain relevant at a time when al-Qaida's ideology, mission and agenda are being questioned and challenged throughout the world," said Gordon Johndroe, a spokesman for the National Security Council at the White House.
"This also looks to be an effort to raise money as part of their ongoing propaganda campaign," Johndroe said.
The tape, entitled "A call for jihad to stop the aggression on Gaza," was played over a picture of bin Laden and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of Islam's holiest sites. There were no English subtitles or the flashy production graphics that usually accompany such messages.
That suggested the message had been hastily put together to exploit Muslim anger over the Gaza offensive. Israel says the offensive aims to halt rocket fire from Gaza against Israeli towns but Palestinian medical officials say half of those killed have been civilians.
"The bin Laden speech is an obvious and cheap attempt to capitalize on the Arab world's boiling anger about the Israeli invasion of Gaza," said terror expert Eric Rosenbach of the Center for International Affairs at Harvard's Kennedy School.
He said links between al-Qaida and Gaza's Hamas rulers are "tenuous at best" and that Hamas, which seized power in Gaza in 2007, has historically distanced itself from bin Laden's terror movement.
Bin Laden and his lieutenants frequently use the Palestinian issue to try to rally support for al-Qaida and often call for holy war to free Jerusalem. But there has been little sign that the terror group has carried out attacks in Israel.
Bin Laden made no direct reference to Hamas, and al-Qaida leaders have frequently criticized the Palestinian militant group for participating in elections and failing to seriously pursue jihad against Israel.
The al-Qaida leader also accused Arab leaders of "avoiding their responsibility" to liberate Palestine.
"If you are not convinced to fight, then open the way to those who are convinced," he said. Bin Laden accused most Arab leaders of allying themselves with the U.S. and Israel.
Rita Katz, director of SITE Intelligence Group that monitors militant Web sites, said bin Laden was "attempting to convince Palestinians and the Muslims around the world that the only group that can help them is the jihadists" and that "Arab rulers and the Palestinian movements have failed them."
"His other purpose is to exploit the conflict to exhort others to jihad and build support for al-Qaida," she said.
Katz said the bin Laden's appeal for money to finance jihad was unusual and "might reflect financial difficulties facing al-Qaida."
Bin Laden pointed to financial problems facing the U.S., saying that was a sign that the U.S. power was falling apart.
"The Islamic nation's jihad is one of the main causes of these destructive results for our enemies," he claimed.
He pointed to wars in Afghanistan and Iraq since the Sept. 11 attacks, saying al-Qaida was prepared to fight "for seven more years, and seven more after that, then seven more."
"The question is, can America continue the war against us for several more decades? The reports and signs show us otherwise," he said. He said Bush had left his successor "with a heavy inheritance," forcing Obama to choose between withdrawing from the wars or continuing.
"If he withdraws from the war, it is a military defeat. If he continues, he drowns in economic crisis," bin Laden said.
__
Associated Press Writer Carley Petesch contributed to this report from New York.

17 days of attacks on Gaza

Killing 920 Palestinians
277 children
98 women
94 elderly
4 journalists
1- Ala'a Murtaja working for a local radio station.
2 - Sameer Khaleefeh reporter at the national Palestinian TV and Sudanese TV .
3- Hamzeh Shaheen journalist photographer working for Shihab News Agency.
4- Ehab Alwahedi Cameraman at Palestine TV.

And12 medicsover 4200 injured 400 in critical condition

On the Israeli side 13 killed, 10 of them are soldiers and 3 civilians.

Latest Palestinian News HERE.