نزع السلاح الفلسطيني في لبنان..إنجازات ميدانية وتساؤلات مؤجلة

Will the Lebanese state be able to completely close the file on Palestinian weapons, or are the current understandings merely a transient phase before the return of complications? Four handover operations took place smoothly in more than one refugee camp, but the presence of weapons with "Hamas," "Islamic Jihad," and other Islamic factions raises questions about the state's ability to assert its authority to the end.

Political Dialogue

So far, the Lebanese army has provided a clear model in managing this file: political dialogue with the Palestinian leadership, meticulous field accompaniment, and gradual steps that take into account the sensitivity of the camps. From Beirut to the south and then to the north, the picture seemed like a tangible translation of the joint statement issued after the meeting between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. However, the success of the four operations is only half the journey, as the other half depends on the response of factions that are still hesitant or link the handover of weapons to political and legal demands.

The main concern lies in the possibility that the disparity between the factions could become a loophole that keeps some camps outside the state's authority, especially since the discussion is not limited to individual weapons but includes medium and heavy arms. Here, additional questions arise: Will the army continue its plan without comprehensive political consensus? And does linking weapons to the civil rights files of refugees slow down the process and perhaps freeze it?

Commitment to Implementing the Agreement

In this context, Abu Iyad Shalaan, a member of the Lebanon region leadership in the "Fatah" movement, clarified to "Okaz" that "the process of handing over weapons was carried out according to the joint Lebanese-Palestinian statement issued after the meeting between the Lebanese president and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during his visit to Lebanon. The goal of this process is to stand by Lebanon in facing crises and international pressures, and we responded to what was stated in the statement and committed to implementing the instructions of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the leadership of the Fatah movement. Today, I can say that we have made significant progress, and we have completely finished the process of handing over weapons inside the camps."

He added: "At the level of the factions of the Palestine Liberation Organization, we have fulfilled what we committed to before the Lebanese state in 12 camps, noting that some camps, such as the Jalil camp in Bekaa, were essentially free of weapons. On the other hand, there are other factions that are still continuing their meetings with the Lebanese state to also commit to handing over medium and heavy weapons."

Rights of Refugees

Shalaan concluded by saying: "As for the remaining factions, there is a near agreement, especially from Hamas, on the handover of weapons, but on the other hand, there are demands related to the humanitarian and civil rights of Palestinian refugees. These demands are not only a subject of negotiation from Hamas's side but also from the Embassy of the State of Palestine in Lebanon, which is communicating with the relevant Lebanese authorities to establish these rights. Naturally, this process will take a considerable amount of time, as it goes through legal mechanisms starting from the Council of Ministers, then referred to the Parliament, leading to the issuance of necessary legislation related to the rights of Palestinian refugees."

While waiting for what the other factions will decide, the Palestinian weapons file remains open to contradictory possibilities: either the completion of a historic process or the persistence of fragments that complicate the state's mission to assert its authority over all Lebanese territory.