Palestinians don't want bin Laden's support

RAMALLAH, West Bank — In his latest message, Osama bin Laden portrays himself as the only true defender of the Palestinians. But the Palestinians, even the Islamic militants of Hamas, didn't seem too enthusiastic Monday over the bear hug from the fugitive al-Qaida leader.

The moderate Palestinian government in the West Bank fears its quest for independence could be sullied by perceived links to terrorism. Even the rival Hamas regime in Gaza, labeled a terrorist group by the U.S. and Israel, sees al-

Qaida as too extreme.

"Al-Qaida and bin Laden have caused huge damage to the image of Muslims and Arabs all over the world, and with his frequent statements about the Palestinians he just damages our image," said Nimr Hamad, an adviser to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The Palestinians have a "deep interest in convincing the Western world of the justice of our national cause," Hamad said. If the Palestinians are seen as "on bin Laden's side, we will definitely lose."

Bin Laden's 22-minute speech, posted on an Islamic militant Web site late Sunday, criticized Arab states for not waging war against Israel.

Bin Laden and his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, regularly level verbal blasts at Arab leaders in recordings sent from their hideout, believed to be on the wild Afghan-Pakistani frontier. But recent messages have increasingly focused on the Palestinians.