Al-Jazeera broadcasts tape of al-Qaida No. 2 praising Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, apparently made before his death

(AP) Al-Qaida's No. 2 praised Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in a videotape broadcast Friday but did not mention his death in a U.S. airstrike, suggesting the tape was made earlier.

Ayman al-Zawahri focused on political developments in the Palestinian territories, Sudan and Egypt in the tape broadcast by the Al-Jazeera network. It mentions a national referendum proposed on May 25 by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The video is the sixth al-Zawahri has issued this year.

An Al-Jazeera anchorman said the tape was made before al-Zarqawi's death was announced Thursday because al-Zawahri praised the al-Qaida in Iraq leader's efforts to confront U.S.-led forces in Iraq.

"God bless the prophet of Islam in Iraq, the persistent hero of Islam, the Holy Warrior Abu Musab al-Zarqawi," al-Zawahri said.

He also sent greetings to the Shura Council of Mujahedeen in Iraq and insurgents, "who are confronting crusaders and their apostate aides and the merchants of religion."

The network did not say how it obtained the recording. It broadcast about six minutes of the approximately 17 minute-long recording, an editor there told The Associated Press.

The authenticity of the tape could not immediately be confirmed independently.

But Ben Venzke, head of IntelCenter, told The Associated Press from Washington that the recording appeared to be authentic. IntelCenter is a private U.S. company that monitors militant message traffic and provides counterterrorism intelligence services for the U.S. government.

A U.S. counterterrorism official, who spoke on condition of anonymity while events were unfolding, said government experts were doing a technical analysis of the video, but there was no reason to doubt its authenticity.

The official noted that al-Zawahri doesn't make any threats against the United States in the message, and its content is reminiscent of other propaganda statements al-Qaida has made in attempts to appear relevant. References in the video suggest it was made no earlier than the end of May.

The bearded al-Zawahri wore a white turban and tunic, and sat before a black background with an automatic weapon propped behind his right shoulder. He repeatedly waved his right hand and pointed his finger in a gesture of admonishment.

Al-Zawahri and Osama bin Laden are believed to be holed up along Pakistan's border with Afghan in rugged, remote terrain, protected by loyal tribesmen.

The al-Qaida deputy leader criticized a proposed national referendum in the Palestinian territories on establishing a Palestinian state alongside Israel and giving recognition to the Jewish state.

"I call on Muslims to reject any referendum on Palestine, because Palestine is part of the Islamic world and not subject to any compromise. I call upon Muslims everywhere to support the brothers in Palestine," he said, mentioning armed Islamist militants, prisoners and their families.

However, he did not mention the Islamic militant group Hamas, which now heads the Palestinian government.

Al-Zawahri also lashed out at the United States and Israel, accusing them of trying to make the Palestinian people "kneel down and to give in to the supreme powers that are trying to impose the Israeli entity on the lands of Islam through the military occupation and the betrayal of the Arab leaders."

He said an example of that Arab "betrayal" was the peace initiative adopted by Arab states in 2002. He also criticized Arab leaders for not providing financial support for the Palestinian people, blaming President Bush for Western countries' decisions to freeze aid to the Palestinians after the election of Hamas.

Arab countries have largely failed to make good on pledges for financial aid to the Palestinians.

"The Arab leaders didn't have the courage ... to meet the Palestinians' needs for one month because the Caesar of Washington gave orders to make the Palestinians starve by besieging them," he said, referring to the suspension of most aid by Western countries to the territories after Hamas won the elections.

Al-Zawahri also commented on developments in Sudan's Darfur region, criticizing a recent visit by a U.N. Security Council delegation ahead of an eventual deployment of U.N. peacekeepers as being "to prepare to occupy and divide it."

"I call upon every Muslim and everyone who has faith in Sudan, and every fervent Muslim in Darfur to confront the Zionist Crusader plot to occupy the lands of Islam," he said.

Al-Zawahri then lashed out at Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, accusing him of inaction in the face of the "plot" to divide Sudan "for the sake of keeping his position as a ruler."

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Associated Press reporter Katherine Shrader in Washington contributed to this report.