Cairo, Egypt ? Al-Qaida’s No. 2 leader Ayman al-Zawahri criticized the West for its insult to Islam’s prophet, complaining in a video broadcast today on Al-Jazeera that the Prophet Muhammad and Jesus “are not sacred anymore.”

Referring to the cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that have been printed in a number of European newspapers, al-Zawahri said, “They did it on purpose and they continue to do it without apologizing, even though no one dares to harm Jews or to challenge Jewish claims about the Holocaust nor even to insult homosexuals.”

Al-Zawahri, wearing a black turban and seated in front of a curtained window, spoke insistently and waved his right hand to emphasize his words.

“The insults against Prophet Muhammad are not the result of freedom of opinion but because what is sacred has changed in this culture,” he said. “The Prophet Muhammad, prayers be upon him, and Jesus Christ, peace be upon him, are not sacred anymore, while Semites and the Holocaust and homosexuality have become sacred.”

He said the West repeatedly insulted Muslims and their holy book, the Quran.

“In the eyes of the West, they have the right to occupy our land, rob our wealth and then insult us and our religion, and humiliate our Quran and our prophet, prayers be upon him,” al-Zawahri said. “After that they give us lessons in freedom, justice and human rights.”

In the video broadcast on the satellite network, Al-Zawahri also offered his support to Hamas, the militant Islamic group that is forming a new Palestinian government after sweeping legislative elections.