(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-12-15 15:50

CAIRO -- Al-Qaida's second-in-command Aymanal-Zawahri slammed an international conference on Middle East peace held in the United States last month in a new audiotape posted on a website commonly used by Islamists on Friday.

A frame grab of a video released on Sept. 2, 2006 shows Al Qaeda's second-in-command Aymanal-Zawahri speaking. He slammed an international conference on Middle East peace held in the United States last month in a new audiotape posted on a website commonly used by Islamists on Friday.[Xinhua]

Zawahri said in the audio recording whose authenticity could not be independently verified that the Annapolis conference was a "treachery" of the Palestinians.

The participation of Arab countries in Annapolis meeting was the latest deal to sell out the Palestinians, he said.

This is al-Qaida's first response to the US-hosted conference which attracted more than 40 countries and international organizations on Nov. 27.

Zawahri also criticized Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for leading a delegation to the conference, terming him a "traitor."

In addition, he called on all Muslims to back the Palestinians to keep fighting with Israel.

Annapolis conference was the largest gathering of the global community to discuss Middle East peace since the Madrid conference16 years ago and the first formal peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians in seven years.

Israel and the Palestinians agreed during the conference to revive peace talks on Dec. 12 on final status issues.

In September, Zawahri called for attacks on French and Spanish interests in North Africa.