
Over the years, the messages from bin Ladin have been addressed to various audiences and espouse various causes, depending on his current situation. His latest cause is very interesting - the plight of the Palestinian people. His claims that the goal of the al-Qa'idah organization is the liberation of Palestine, specifically the Gaza Strip.
This is relatively new for bin Ladin, but makes a certain amount of sense. Given his failures to accomplish any of his goals in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia or Iraq, he needs a new cause, a reason to continue his war with the west and to justify attacks on Arab governments he believes have been co-opted by the west (Egypt, Jordan and Iraq). That cause is the Palestinian people, and the liberation of Jerusalem, site of Islam's third holiest shrine - the al-Aqsa mosque.
His failures have been underscored by his recent orders to his followers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to leave and head for Yemen. Bin Ladin assessed - correctly - that the climate in Yemen is much more conducive venue to base his terrorist operatives. Since 2003, the Saudis have cracked down on al-Qa'idah operatives in the kingdom after some high-profile attacks on facilities of the Saudi government and on housing compounds of contractors serving the interests of the kingdom. See my earlier article, Yemen walking a fine line.
Bin Ladin will find a willing ally in Hamas, which has virtually established an Islamic state in the Gaza Strip. Both Egypt and Israel have maintained a tight blockade on Gaza. That blockade erupted into a border crisis earlier this year, but the border has been re-established.
Bin Ladin has found one cause that will not go away anytime soon. It's a smart move - he will be able to use this as his raison d’ĂȘtre for years to come.