NORTHERN ISRAEL (CNN) -- As the bloody fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon entered its 16th day Thursday, a top al Qaeda leader pledged that the terror group would not "stay silent" on the conflict.

The statement was on a tape made by Ayman al Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden's deputy, on the Al Jazeera television network Thursday.

"The al Qaeda organization will not stay silent regarding what the Muslims in Palestine and Lebanon are facing," Zawahiri said.

The statement came just a day after international efforts to negotiate a cease-fire in Lebanon stalled at a conference in Rome.

Great. Just great.

¶ 7/27/2006 06:01:00 AM