Lebanon advances in state control of weapons with the handover of a new Palestinian camp
- Joint statement and transfer in Ain al-Hilweh
- Previous handovers and plan to restrict weapons to the state
- Palestinian camps in Lebanon and refugee figures
The Lebanese Army has taken custody of a fifth batch of heavy weapons from the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp near the southern city of Sidon, marking a further step forward in the state-backed effort to bring all weapons under national authority.
The latest handover was carried out by the Palestinian National Security Forces and included a rocket launcher platform equipped with surface-to-surface rockets, heavy and medium machine guns, and ammunition. The weapons were transported in four lorries, according to officials who oversaw the process.
Joint statement and transfer in Ain al-Hilweh
Abdel Hadi al-Asadi, spokesman for the Palestinian National Security Forces in Lebanon, said the transfer was carried out in accordance with a joint statement issued in May by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. He said the move also reflected the work of a joint Lebanese-Palestinian committee tasked with improving security and living conditions within the camps.
Asadi described the handover as a demonstration of mutual commitment to stability and security, and to safeguarding relations between the Palestinian refugee community and the Lebanese state.
Previous handovers and plan to restrict weapons to the state
The latest transfer follows previous handovers in Ain al-Hilweh and the Beddawi camp in September, as well as the handover of weapons from several other Palestinian camps in August. Lebanese authorities say the process is intended to address the long-standing issue of weapons outside state control, particularly in refugee camps, which have historically operated under informal security arrangements.
In August, the Lebanese government officially decided to restrict all weapons to state institutions and ordered the army to develop a comprehensive plan to implement the policy by the end of 2025. The decision includes weapons held by all non-state actors, although it has met with resistance from Hezbollah, which has rejected disarmament until Israel withdraws from five disputed border posts in southern Lebanon.
Officials involved in the handover say the gradual transfer of weapons reflects cautious but tangible progress towards restoring state authority, even as broader political and security challenges continue to complicate Lebanon's efforts to stabilise the country.
Palestinian camps in Lebanon and refugee figures
The Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon have long remained outside the direct authority of the Lebanese security forces, a situation that dates back to the 1969 Cairo Agreement. Although the army does not enter the camps, it maintains a tight security cordon around them.
Lebanon is home to almost half a million Palestinian refugees, most of whom live in difficult economic and social conditions. More than half reside in 12 camps officially recognised by the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.