Dubai: Top All Qaida operative, Ayman Al Zawahri has called on Muslims across the world to strike Western and Israeli targets over the assault on Gaza.

In his latest internet message, Zawahri also accused US president-elect Barack Obama of complicity.

"Hit the interests of the Zionists and crusaders wherever and in whichever way you can," he said in the audio tape.

"What you are facing now ... is a link in a chain in the Zionist crusader campaign on Muslims and Islam," Zawahri said. "These attacks are Obama's present to you (Palestinians) before he takes office."

Zawahri also hit Obama’s silence on the matter.

"The US lying (propaganda) machine had tried to portray to the world as a saviour who would change US policy," he said.


Finally breaking his silence on the offensive, Obama expressed deep concern on Tuesday about civilian deaths in Gaza and in Israel, vowing to push for peace when he takes office.

Zawahri also deemed Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak as a "traitor" for failing to back Palestinians in the face of Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip.

He called for mass strikes in Egypt and said an Egyptian soldier who shot dead several Israeli tourists in Egypt in 1985 was "an example to follow for the zealous and free in the Egyptian army".