Bin Laden calls Gaza offensive 'holocaust' in new tape

CAIRO -- Osama bin Laden called Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip a "holocaust" and lashed out at Arab governments he said failed to stop the bloodshed in a recording broadcast Saturday.

Bin Laden, whose message was released in excerpts on Al-Jazeera, called Arab leaders hypocrites and accused them of sacrificing the Palestinians in Gaza and collaborating with Israel. The offensive, which ended Jan. 18, killed about 1,300 Palestinians, according to Palestinian human rights groups.

It was bin Laden's second audio message on the Gaza offensive since January, when he urged Muslims to launch a jihad against Israel. It was not possible to verify the message's authenticity.