Lebanon to form committees on Palestinian camp weapons

Shafaq News/ Lebanon will establish joint committees with Palestinian representatives next month to address the issue of arms in refugee camps, President Joseph Aoun announced on Monday.

The committees will begin work in mid-June, initially focusing on three camps in Beirut. Their mandate includes assessing the security situation and coordinating frameworks to curb the presence of unauthorized weapons.

The announcement followed Aoun’s meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Beirut, which concluded with a joint statement affirming Lebanon’s exclusive control over arms, a rejection of cross-border military activity, and a commitment to preserving stability while enhancing bilateral ties.

The Palestinian Authority endorsed the plan, but factions such as Hamas have criticized the process for excluding broader Palestinian representation.

Lebanon, home to a large Palestinian refugee population of about 300,000, has long faced challenges in enforcing state authority over camps that operate outside formal security oversight.