The Lebanese army on Friday took delivery of heavy weapons from Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) factions in Beirut’s refugee camps, part of a wider government effort to place all arms under state control.
The handover included weapons from Shatila, Mar Elias, and Burj Al-Barajneh camps in the capital, where the exchange was conducted in a courtyard without army vehicles entering the camp itself. The transfer followed earlier deliveries of rockets and surface-to-surface missiles from four camps in southern Lebanon—Tyre, Rashidieh, Burj Al-Shamali, and Al-Bass. In total, six camps have so far participated in the initiative.
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Ramez Dimashkieh, head of the Lebanese–Palestinian Dialogue Committee, told Arab News the process reflects an agreement reached with PLO factions, but noted it does not yet cover Hamas, Islamic Jihad, or their allies. “We are talking about the weapons of the PLO factions, with whom we negotiated and reached an agreement,” he explained. “As for the weapons of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Palestinian forces orbiting around them, the matter requires negotiations.”
Palestinian spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh confirmed that the transfers were conducted in line with an accord reached in May between President Mahmoud Abbas and Lebanese leaders. The agreement established a joint Lebanese–Palestinian committee to oversee the camps and improve refugee conditions while reinforcing Lebanese sovereignty.
The Dialogue Committee described the process as “a transition to a new phase of Lebanese–Palestinian relations, based on partnership and cooperation in safeguarding national stability.” Officials said the next phase will extend the handover to camps in northern Lebanon and the Bekaa, before moving north of the Litani River.