Lebanon begins collection of arms from Palestinian refugee camps

On Thursday, Lebanese authorities commenced the first phase of a campaign to collect arms from Palestinian refugee camps, a step taken as part of the government’s decision to centralise weapon ownership within state institutions and to disarm Hezbollah.

“Today marks the beginning of the weapons handover process from within Palestinian camps, starting with the Burj al-Barajneh camp in Beirut. The initial batch of weapons will be surrendered and placed under the custody of the Lebanese army” said Ambassador Ramez Dimashqieh, head of the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee, in a statement through the Prime Minister’s office.

Dimashqieh emphasised that the handover will initiate a series of operations, with additional batches expected in the coming weeks from Burj al-Barajneh and other camps.

READ: Hezbollah vows not to surrender weapons while Israel exists, warns Lebanese government

This initiative is a direct response to agreements reached during a summit between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on May 21, 2025. The summit reaffirmed Lebanon’s sovereignty over its territory, the importance of extending state authority, and the principle of a monopoly on arms.

Additionally, the recent actions are in line with decisions made during a joint meeting of the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee held on May 23, 2025. Chaired by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, this meeting involved representatives from both Lebanese and Palestinian authorities, where an executive mechanism and a clear timetable for addressing the issue of Palestinian arms in Lebanon were established.

Lebanon is home to over 493,000 Palestinian refugees who live in challenging conditions within camps governed by Palestinian factions under informal agreements dating back to the 1969 Cairo Agreement. More than half of these refugees reside in 12 camps recognised by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). Notably, Lebanese army and security forces typically do not enter these camps but enforce strict measures in their vicinity.

OPINION: The crisis of disarming Hezbollah: Lebanon on the edge