Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is set to visit Beirut on Wednesday, with the primary issue on the agenda expected to be the disarmament of Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, according to a report published Tuesday in the Saudi-owned London-based newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat.
Sarhan Sarhan, a member of the PLO's political leadership, told the paper that the topic of weapons in the camps has not yet been formally raised in sessions of the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee. However, he said that if it does come up during Abbas's meetings with Lebanese leaders, it would be addressed as part of a broader dialogue.
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Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas
(Photo: Sergei Bobylyov/Host agency RIA Novosti/Reuters)
“The weapons of the PLO in Lebanon are fully supervised and serve only the security and stability of the camps,” Sarhan said. “We have institutions operating inside all the camps to ensure social and political security.” He rejected the portrayal of the camps as “lawless security islands,” stressing that “what happens to Lebanon happens to us. We operate within Lebanese law and in line with the will of the Lebanese people.”
Sarhan warned that any attempt to forcibly disarm the camps could trigger security and social unrest. However, he voiced support for coordinated arms control efforts in collaboration with the Lebanese state. “There is ongoing coordination between the PLO, the Lebanese army, and the security services to prevent the escalation or spread of confrontations to other areas,” he added. “We are working hard to maintain stability within the camps and to control any weapons that fall outside official frameworks. Lebanon’s stability is a top Palestinian interest.”
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A column of smoke rises during clashes in the Palestinian Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp in Lebanon
(Photo: AP/Mohammad Zaatari)
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Meanwhile, Palestinian sources familiar with the matter told Asharq Al-Awsat that behind-the-scenes talks are underway between Lebanese authorities and senior Palestinian leaders. The goal is to reach an agreement for disarming so-called “camps outside the camps” and to regulate weapons within the recognized camps, including the complete suppression of uncoordinated rocket fire and militant movements.
According to those sources, the involvement of the Palestinian Authority, particularly the Fatah movement, in shaping the plan has sparked objections from some Palestinian factions. These groups hold differing political and ideological positions and have voiced concern over the lack of a unified Palestinian national umbrella in Lebanon.
As a result, negotiations with Islamist jihadist groups present in several camps are reportedly making little progress. These factions refuse to surrender their arms unless clear guarantees are given regarding the fate of wanted members. “They see any disarmament initiative without a comprehensive political settlement as an attempt to weaken and marginalize them by force,” the sources said.