The issue of Palestinian weapons inside Lebanon’s refugee camps has re-emerged as a central political and security concern, with authorities in Beirut moving to revive a stalled process aimed at placing all weapons under the sole authority of the State.

Despite longstanding pledges by factions, foremost among them the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), to hand over their weapons, the reality on the ground has remained unchanged, blocked by internal divisions, competing loyalties, and overlapping regional agendas.

Lebanon, in coordination with the army, is seeking to implement a gradual plan to bring all weapons under State control. The effort is framed within UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for the disbanding of all militias in Lebanon, both Lebanese and non-Lebanese.

Al-Modon news outlet cited military officials as saying that the army has long gathered detailed intelligence on weapons stockpiled inside the camps, ranging from light and medium arms to heavy weaponry. The files also include information on each faction, its funding sources, and political affiliations.

But the army has no intention of storming the camps by force, given their dense populations and sensitivities. Instead, officials are working to secure agreements with the factions for a phased and coordinated handover designed to prevent any security vacuum.

On the Palestinian side, the Ramallah-based leadership launched in July a shakeup of its structures in Lebanon, replacing first- and second-tier leaders within the PLO and Fatah. The move sought to overcome objections that derailed the initial phase of weapons withdrawal, initially scheduled to begin on June 16.

That deadline followed an agreement reached between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas during his visit to Beirut.

Lebanon, meanwhile, has stressed through the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee and political channels that the process must move ahead. Ambassador Ashraf Dabbour, who had advocated for “organizing” Palestinian weapons rather than eliminating them, was replaced by Mohammad al-Asaad, signaling a clearer commitment to disarmament.

Ahead of al-Asaad’s arrival in Beirut in the coming days, a delegation from the Palestinian National Security Committees is expected to visit the capital to coordinate with the dialogue committee and Lebanese security agencies, under the direct supervision of Yasser Abbas, the son of the Palestinian president.

The earlier plan had envisioned beginning the process in Beirut’s camps in mid-June. But internal disputes between factions, including divisions within Fatah itself, forced a delay.

Sources familiar with the matter say Salam has since been in direct contact with Abbas, with the current approach prioritizing camps south of the Litani River – Rashidieh, al-Bass, and al-Burj al-Shamali – before expanding to the nine other camps across the country. 

The main obstacle remains the absence of unified Palestinian leadership inside the camps. Hamas and Islamic Jihad are not aligned with the PLO’s position, while some factions maintain direct ties to Hezbollah, linking the issue to Lebanon’s broader debate over non-state weapons.

According to political sources cited by Al-Modon, the likely framework for Palestinian weapons handover rests on four pillars:

1. Starting from the south, with Ramallah pushing for compliance and Beirut offering refugees social and economic incentives in exchange for progress.

2. A phased timeline, ensuring no security vacuums, with each stage ending in a joint inventory and security consolidation under Resolution 1701.

3. Separating Palestinian weapons from Hezbollah’s arsenal, provided there is domestic political cover and written commitments from Palestinian factions.

4. Building trust through success, as progress in southern camps could pave the way for wider disarmament, while failure would risk collapsing the process entirely.