Palestinian arms handover in Lebanon expected to start soon—here's what we know

Report by Yazbek Wehbe, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian

Spurred by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' firm remarks on the issue of weapons in refugee camps—delivered during his recent visit to Beirut—the Lebanese Palestinian Dialogue Committee convened for the first time under its new chair, Ambassador Ramez Dimashkieh.

Given the significance of the topic, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam joined the meeting for part of the session. He welcomed Abbas’ decision to address the issue of Palestinian arms in the camps and instructed officials to move quickly, calling for a clear implementation mechanism and a defined timeline.

The meeting followed discussions between Abbas and top Lebanese officials. 

Participants agreed to launch a process to hand over weapons within a set timeframe. The initiative will be accompanied by practical steps to improve the economic and social rights of Palestinian refugees. 

The parties also agreed to intensify joint meetings and coordination to lay the groundwork for immediate implementation at all levels.

According to LBCI sources, a preliminary agreement calls for the handover of weapons in the camps to begin in the second half of June. A joint Lebanese-Palestinian military-security technical committee is expected to begin meeting next week to outline the operational steps.

The sources also said both sides agreed to implement the outcomes of Abbas’ meetings with Lebanese officials swiftly and cooperatively.

Because the meeting was a direct follow-up to Abbas’ visit—during which he declared in Beirut his commitment to disarm factions under the Palestine Liberation Organization—opposing factions such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command did not attend. 

However, Ambassador Dimashkieh met with representatives of these groups two weeks ago and informed them of Lebanon’s decision to bring all Palestinian weapons under state authority. He is expected to hold additional meetings with them soon.

This marks the second and most critical phase of the Palestinian arms handover. The first phase, involving weapons outside the camps, was completed earlier this year following months of efforts by Army Intelligence. 

The key question now is whether these plans will be implemented within the set timeframe—and whether all Palestinian factions will honor their commitments. That remains the pivotal issue.