Lebanese Army started disarming Palestinian Refugee camps
Lebanon announced Thursday that Palestinian factions in Beirut have begun handing over weapons to the Lebanese army, marking the first step in a government plan to disarm refugee camps across the country. The initial handover took place at the Bourj el-Barajneh camp south of the capital, where a single truck carrying light weapons was seen leaving under army escort.
Ramez Dimashkieh, head of the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee, said the transfer was the beginning of a staged process that will continue at other camps in the coming weeks. The agreement was first reached in May during a meeting between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who pledged to bring all weapons under state control.
The handover was greeted by US envoy Tom Barrack, who praised it as “a historic step toward unity and stability.” Washington and Jerusalem have both pressured Beirut to begin disarmament, viewing the effort as a precursor to the more difficult challenge of confronting Hezbollah’s arsenal following last year’s war with Israel.
Still, the move exposed deep divisions among Palestinian groups. The Iran -backed Hamas and several allied factions dismissed the handover as an internal Fatah matter, declaring their weapons “will always remain tied to the right of return” and would only be used against Israel. Others said only “illegal” or personal weapons would be surrendered, not arms belonging to organized groups.
Lebanon hosts an estimated 280,000–520,000 Palestinians in 12 camps, many of which have long served as strongholds for armed organizations. Whether Thursday’s modest step can develop into a broader dismantling of militias remains uncertain, particularly as Hezbollah has warned it will resist any attempt to seize its weapons.
Lebanon’s government tasked the army with drafting a plan by year’s end to restrict weapons solely to state forces, marking a significant step toward disarming Hezbollah. The plan, due by the end of August, sparked opposition from Hezbollah, who warned that it would not agree to any timetable for disarmament while Israeli aggression against Lebanon continues.
The plan is to be presented to the cabinet by the end of August for discussion and approval, he told a press conference after the marathon session.
A November ceasefire deal that sought to end more than a year of hostilities including two months of all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah stated that Lebanese government authorities such as the army, security forces and local police are “the exclusive bearers of weapons in Lebanon”.
(The Media Line)