Bin Laden urges Egyptian militants to break Gaza blockade
“Those [Arab] kings and leaders sacrificed Palestine and Al-Aqsa to keep their crowns... But we will not be relieved of this responsibility,” Bin Laden said in the audio message posted on an Islamic militant website.
Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City is one of the holiest sites for Muslims.
Israel and Egypt have closed their borders with Gaza since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized control of the Palestinian territory last June.
The closure has deepened economic hardship in the Gaza strip where 1.4 million Palestinians live.
“Each one of us is responsible for the death of our vulnerable people in Gaza, where scores have died because of the blockade,” bin Laden said.
He urged Muslim militants in Egypt to end the closure: “They are the only ones close to its borders and they must work on breaking this blockade.”
The call closely follows a message from bin Laden on Friday marking the 60th anniversary of Israel’s foundation, in which he vowed to continue what he called his struggle against the Jewish state.
