A Lebanese government-led committee held its first meeting Friday to begin developing a timetable and mechanism for the disarmament of Palestinian factions in Lebanon's refugee camps. The Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee, which acts as a liaison between Palestinian refugees and the Lebanese state, said the meeting was attended by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and resulted in an agreement to "launch a process for the disarmament of weapons according to a specific timetable." The group also committed to improving the economic and social rights of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. A Lebanese official familiar with the talks, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said implementation of the disarmament plan is expected to begin within a month. The meeting comes on the heels of a visit by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, during which he and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun affirmed that Palestinian factions would not use Lebanon as a base for attacks against Israel and agreed that all weapons must ultimately fall under Lebanese government control. Multiple Palestinian groups operate inside Lebanon's 12 refugee camps, including Abbas' Fatah movement, Hamas, and several other Islamist and leftist factions. The camps lie largely outside Lebanese state control and have seen frequent violent clashes between rival groups, with impacts spilling over into surrounding communities. The issue of weapons in the camps gained urgency after Hamas and allied Palestinian groups joined Hezbollah in last year's conflict with Israel, which ended in a ceasefire in November. Since then, international and domestic pressure has increased on Hezbollah to disarm — and now appears to be extending to Palestinian factions as well. Ihsan Ataya of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group expressed skepticism about the timing of the disarmament initiative, suggesting it may be tied to U.S. pressure to resettle refugees and "eliminate the symbolism of resistance" linked to Palestinians' right of return. "We adhere to the laws of the host country," he said, "but we question how this will be implemented." Hamas spokesperson Jihad Taha told Lebanon's Al Jadeed TV that the group has no "military centers" in or outside of the camps and is committed to maintaining security and stability. He emphasized Hamas' desire to maintain positive relations with Lebanese authorities but did not clarify whether the group would comply with the disarmament plan. The Lebanese official said Hamas' office in Beirut would be allowed to remain open so long as it functions solely for political — not military — activities. Nearly 500,000 Palestinians are registered with the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Lebanon, though estimates suggest only around 200,000 remain in the country. Palestinians in Lebanon face widespread legal restrictions, are barred from many professions, and cannot own property. — Agencies
