Palestinian factions in Lebanon initiated the handover of weapons from the Burj al-Barajneh refugee camp on Beirut’s outskirts to the Lebanese army on Thursday, August 21, 2025. The move marks the first step in a plan announced three months ago by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to consolidate arms under Lebanese government control, aiming to curb violence in the country’s 12 Palestinian refugee camps.
The initial handover was modest yet symbolic. A single pickup truck left the Burj al-Barajneh camp carrying bags filled with weapons, including machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, as reported by eyewitnesses. This action follows a May agreement during Abbas’ visit to Lebanon, where both leaders outlined a strategy to remove arms from the camps, which have long operated outside Lebanese authority and have been hotspots for clashes between rival Palestinian groups.
However, the plan has faced resistance. Not all factions support the disarmament. Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, two prominent groups, did not comment on the handover. A Hamas spokesperson issued a statement on behalf of “the Palestinian Factions in Lebanon,” dismissing the move as an internal Fatah matter with no bearing on broader Palestinian weapons in the camps. The statement emphasized that their arms are tied to the Palestinian cause and the right of return, vowing to retain them as long as Israeli occupation persists.
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The camps, home to nearly 200,000 Palestinian refugees—though UNRWA registers 500,000 due to unupdated records—have been a source of tension. Rival factions, including Fatah, Hamas, and various Islamist and leftist groups, have clashed in recent years, sometimes launching rockets into Israel, impacting nearby Lebanese communities. The weapons handover is seen as a precursor to addressing the larger challenge of disarming Hezbollah, Lebanon’s powerful militant group, which fought a costly war with Israel last year and remains under pressure to relinquish its arsenal.
Implementation has been rocky due to internal disagreements among Palestinian factions over the handover process. Ramez Dimashkieh, head of the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee, called Thursday’s action a “first step,” with more weapons expected to be surrendered from Burj al-Barajneh and other camps, including al-Bass in southern Lebanon, in the coming weeks. Nabil Abu Rdeneh, Abbas’ spokesperson, confirmed the al-Bass handover and pledged continued cooperation with the Lebanese government.
US envoy Tom Barrack praised the move on X, calling it a “historic step toward unity and stability.” Yet, doubts linger about the plan’s scope. Some Palestinian officials clarified that only “illegal” weapons, not those held by organized factions or personal light arms, would be surrendered. Fatah’s Beirut spokesperson, Badih al-Habet, noted that President Aoun recognized personal weapons as part of “Arab and national culture,” suggesting limited disarmament.
Lebanon’s Palestinian refugees face severe restrictions, barred from many professions, property ownership, and robust legal protections. The camps, established decades ago, remain volatile, with poverty and factional rivalries fueling unrest. Local residents expressed mixed feelings. “This could bring calm, but only if everyone agrees,” said Ahmad Khalil, a shopkeeper near Burj al-Barajneh. Others fear the partial handover may escalate tensions among factions opposed to disarmament.
As Lebanon navigates this delicate process, the handover represents a tentative step toward reducing armed violence in the camps. However, with major factions like Hamas signaling resistance and the broader issue of Hezbollah’s arsenal looming, the path to stability remains uncertain. The international community watches closely as Lebanon and Palestinian leaders grapple with balancing security, sovereignty, and the Palestinian struggle.
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