The issue of Palestinian weapons inside Lebanon’s refugee camps remains a contentious matter, particularly after Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas failed to follow through on commitments he made during his last visit to Beirut when he pledged to begin withdrawing the arms by mid-June. The delay has been attributed to internal Palestinian power struggles and sharp divisions among the factions.

According to obtained information, the plan initially set out in June has since been revised. The first stage of the disarmament plan will focus on the Rashidiyeh, al-Bass, and Burj al-Shamali camps, located south of the Litani River because of their geographical link to UN Security Council Resolution 1701. The process would then move in a subsequent stage to the other nine camps across the country.

Sources familiar with the matter told Kataeb.org that the handover is expected to begin in September, once the Palestinian internal scene settles following the arrival of the new ambassador to Lebanon, Mohammad al-Assaad, who replaces Ashraf Dabbour. The previous Palestinian envoy had been accused of obstructing the disarmament process due to disagreements over how to handle the weapons issue. The shift also comes as Yasser Abbas, son of the Palestinian president, visits Beirut to oversee the effort and reorganize the Palestinian structure after recent security appointments, in preparation for the weapons handover.

The sources did not rule out the possibility that Hezbollah might exploit the situation in the camps to stir security incidents that could delay or derail the process. They noted that Palestinian and Hezbollah weapons are closely intertwined, raising fears that the handover could once again slip outside the framework of State authority.