A very troubling potential agreement Lebanon has recently started putting in place a re-disarmament plan for Palestinian groups inside its refugee camps. This landmark decision seeks to enhance state control over weaponry. The campaign officially launched with the weapon collection from the Burj al-Barajneh Palestinian camp in Beirut. This was an important change in direction for how authorities would approach security in these crowded public spaces. During a series of meetings in May, Lebanese President Capt. Joseph Aoun, right, hosted Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. In their meeting together, they reached consensus on the imperative for disarmament today.
The Lebanese government has given its national army an incredible task. By the end of the year, they need to develop an inclusive plan for bringing all arms—militias and state forces—under a unified command of the state. This disarmament campaign will extend further than Burj al-Barajneh. Over the next few weeks, we hope to see many more of these handovers occurring at camps across Lebanon. Last Friday, that all changed, as the prime minister’s office released an unexpected new development. Transferring weapons to the Lebanese army would inaugurate a wider disarmament process.
Palestinian groups, particularly Hamas and Islamic Jihad, have long enjoyed vibrant support in Lebanon’s twelve refugee camps. These camps have mostly operated outside of the Lebanese state’s juridical—not to mention physical—authority. The creation of these camps came on the heels of the displacement of over 750,000 Palestinians when Israel was established in 1948. This historic event has led to 75 years of political exclusion and marginalization for the Palestinian people. In response to decades of disenfranchisement, brutal occupation, and inapposite policies, Palestinian resistance movements—both peaceful and armed—have begun to rise.
Lebanon has recently stepped up to back a US plan for a truce between Israel and Hezbollah. This effort builds upon that agreement reached last November. This truce included provisions restricting weapons to six designated state security forces, underscoring the urgency for Lebanon to exert greater control over armed groups within its borders. After the first handover, Lebanese and Palestinian officials worked closely to sketch out a schedule and procedures for future transfers of arms.
Though this is an important step forward, Palestinian refugees in Lebanon – particularly Palestinians from Syria – still face major civil rights restrictions. They stand ever since distributive from access to well-paying jobs and home ownership, fueling continued socioeconomic conflicts among these communities. The current disarmament initiative is the most concerted attempt to address the issue of weapons in the camps. It’s potentially one of the most consequential actions taken in the last several years.
