Lebanon has officially begun a plan to disarm Palestinian groups within its refugee camps, starting with the handover of weapons from the Burj al-Barajneh camp in Beirut. The prime minister’s office confirmed on Thursday that the transfer of arms to the Lebanese army marks the first phase of a nationwide disarmament initiative. Additional handovers are expected soon across Burj al-Barajneh and other Palestinian camps.
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A Fatah official told Reuters that the initial weapons surrendered were only illegal arms recently brought into the camp. Television broadcasts showed military vehicles entering the area, though the exact type of weapons collected could not be verified. This move follows Lebanon’s pledge under a U.S.-backed truce between Israel and Hezbollah in November, which restricted weapons exclusively to six recognized state security forces.
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Since the November 27, 2024 ceasefire agreement, Israel has continued launching weekly strikes on Lebanon. In response, the Lebanese government has instructed the army to finalize a comprehensive strategy by year’s end to consolidate all weapons under state control. The disarmament plan, according to the prime minister’s office, was finalized during a May meeting between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
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Both leaders underscored Lebanon’s sovereignty and agreed that only the state should possess arms. Lebanese and Palestinian officials subsequently outlined a timeline and mechanism for weapons collection. For decades, Palestinian groups have maintained authority inside Lebanon’s 12 refugee camps, which have largely existed beyond state jurisdiction. The current plan is viewed as the most significant effort in years to reduce the presence of weapons within these camps.
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Palestinian armed groups emerged after 1948, when more than 750,000 Palestinians were displaced following the creation of Israel. Movements including Fatah, Hamas, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) established a presence in Lebanon’s camps to continue resistance against Israel. Today, Palestinian refugees in Lebanon still lack civil rights such as property ownership and access to many jobs, leaving armed factions as their main form of protection and representation.
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The push to disarm Palestinian groups comes as Hezbollah faces what analysts describe as its most severe military challenge in decades. Israeli strikes in 2024 targeted and eliminated much of Hezbollah’s leadership, further raising the stakes for Lebanon’s security landscape.
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