Hamas leader calls for Palestinian unity, delay of congress

The leader of the Gaza-based Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has called for national unity among Palestinian factions but urged postponement of national leaders’ first congress in two decades pending a compromise.

Speaking at a Monday press conference in the Qatari capital Doha, Khaled Meshaal further emphasized that leaders from his Islamic movement and the West Bank-based Fatah faction had to come up with a unified front.

“The cause of Palestine is bigger than Hamas and Fatah,” the Hamas chief said during a press event in the Persian Gulf Arab state. “We as Palestinians, we are being divided against ourselves; there’s a lack of authority. It’s unbelievable and it’s unacceptable from any Palestinian leader.”

Meshaal, however, went on to say that a proposed congress of Palestinian leaders scheduled to take place later this month should be delayed due to yet unresolved differences among them.

“Postpone the meeting of the National Congress until there’s a compromise for the meeting,” he declared arguing, “The meeting should be about the laws and regulations we agreed on otherwise this will lead to more division.”

Meshaal then reiterated that the Hamas leaders were prepared to meet with its rival Fatah counterparts “in any Arab country.”

The development came as Palestinian leaders moved earlier on Monday towards postponing the national congress amid speculations over the aims of the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (pictured above).

This is while Abbas has declared his resignation as chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in a bid to force new elections for its executive committee.

Abbas’s allies claim the move is part of an effort to inject fresh blood in the Palestinian leadership.

Meanwhile, the meeting of the Palestine National Council, a congress representing those in the Palestinian territories and the diaspora, had been scheduled to take place on September 14-15 but will likely be put off until a later date.