Lebanon on Thursday launched a long-planned effort to disarm Palestinian factions in refugee camps, in what officials described as a crucial step toward establishing a state monopoly on arms.
The initiative began with the handover of weapons from the Burj al-Barajneh camp in Beirut to the Lebanese army, according to a statement from the prime minister’s office. Authorities said further deliveries are expected in the coming weeks from Burj al-Barajneh and other camps across the country.
An official from the Palestinian group Fatah said that only recently smuggled weapons were being handed over at this stage. Television footage showed Lebanese army vehicles entering the camp before the reported transfer of arms.
The disarmament drive forms part of Lebanon’s commitment under a truce with Israel, reached in November and backed by the United States, to restrict weapons to six designated state security forces. It also reflects the government’s broader challenge of curbing the influence of armed groups, including the powerful Iran-backed Hezbollah movement.
The cabinet has tasked the army with presenting a plan by year’s end to consolidate all weapons under state control. The move follows a May 21 summit between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, where both leaders affirmed Lebanon’s sovereignty and agreed that only the state should bear arms.
Two days after the summit, Lebanese and Palestinian officials outlined a timeline and mechanism for the disarmament process. Palestinian factions have long exercised significant autonomy inside Lebanon’s 12 refugee camps, which largely fall outside the state’s direct authority.
Thursday’s handover is seen as the most serious attempt in years to rein in the presence of arms within the camps, marking the beginning of what could be a pivotal shift in Lebanon’s security landscape.
Melissa Enoch
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