Al Qaida leader Osama bin Laden today urged Muslims to launch a jihad, or holy war, to stop the Israeli offensive in Gaza.

In an audio tape Bin Laden also condemns Arab governments for preventing their people from acting to "liberate Palestine."

The tape has been been posted on Islamic militant websites where al Qaida usually issues its messages.

The authenticity of the tape cannot be independently confirmed. But the voice resembles that of bin Laden in previous messages.

The man claiming to be Osama said: "Our brothers in Palestine, you have suffered a lot.... the Muslims sympathise with you in what they see and hear. We, the mujahideen, sympathise with you also..." bin Laden said in the tape entitled 'A Call for Jihad to Stop the Aggression against Gaza'.

"We are with you and we will not let you down. Our fate is tied to yours in fighting the Crusader-Zionist coalition, in fighting until victory or martyrdom.

"The jihad of your sons against the Crusader-Zionist coalition is one of the key reasons for these destructive effects among our enemies," bin Laden said in the tape that was dated in the current Islamic month.

"God has bestowed us with the patience to continue the path of jihad for another seven years, and seven and seven... The question is, can America continue its war with us for several more decades to come? Reports and evidence would suggest otherwise."