With Mahmoud Abbas' potential Lebanon visit, will talks succeed in disarming Palestinian camps?

Report by Petra Abou Haydar, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian

The issue of Palestinian weapons in Lebanon’s refugee camps has returned to the political spotlight.

During the most recent Cabinet session, a minister asked President Joseph Aoun when serious steps would be taken to disarm Palestinian factions in the camps. 

President Aoun responded with a surprise announcement: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to visit Lebanon soon to formally launch the disarmament process.

The announcement will follow an agreement between Lebanese and Palestinian officials on a disarmament mechanism. 

The plan is being coordinated by the Lebanese Palestinian Dialogue Committee and a Lebanese task force led by Ambassador Ramez Dimashkieh, who was appointed by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.

The Palestinian Embassy confirmed Abbas’ upcoming visit to LBCI but did not provide an exact date. It is expected to take place in May, with further details to be announced later.

Government sources say the developments reflect a serious intention to resolve the issue, particularly if implementation takes place in coordination with Palestinian authorities — a step seen as key to facilitating the process.

In Lebanon, armed Palestinian factions in the country’s 12 refugee camps fall into three broad categories:

The first includes nine factions within the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), led by Abbas. These groups view their weapons as “legitimate” and say they will comply with any decision made by the Lebanese state.

The second includes groups such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and others, while the third consists of Islamist forces, which include three other groups.

It remains unclear whether disarmament talks will focus solely on PLO factions or also include the other groups.

Sources within the PLO in Lebanon say Abbas represents the Palestinian state and all its factions and is seeking a comprehensive resolution to the weapons issue.

Hamas, which remains outside the PLO but is one of the most influential Palestinian groups in Lebanon, said its stance reflects that of all Palestinian factions. 

The group supports Lebanon’s security and stability and is open to discussing all matters that contribute to that goal — including the weapons issue.

This development follows recent efforts by the Lebanese army to collect Palestinian weapons located outside the camps — specifically in Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command sites in Qousaya and Naameh — after six months of consultations.