Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal is presenting a national initiative designed to overcome the current Palestinian crisis through a united front and decision-making by consensus.

In support of those goals, Meshaal called Sept. 7 for postponing the Palestinian National Council session that was set for Sept. 14, arguing that if Fatah alone held the session, it would deepen the Palestinian divide and would not give the Palestinian Liberation Organization greater legitimacy. In his speech from Doha, Qatar, Meshaal said it would be absurd if the meeting did not include Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Meshaal, head of Hamas' political bureau, had contacted PNC Chairman Salim Zanoun on Aug. 31 to try to prevent the session from being held. During a press conference Sept. 9 in Ramallah, Zanoun indeed announced the postponement of the PNC session for a period of no more than three months.

In between, Meshaal said, he also asked PLO Executive Committee Secretary Saeb Erekat in Doha to convey a message to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to postpone the PNC session.