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Arab News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Regional war puts Palestinian disarmament in Lebanese camps on hold
BEIRUT: A Palestinian official in Lebanon announced 'the postponement of the scheduled collection of weapons from Palestinian refugee camps due to the current situation in the region.' The announcement came just hours before the Lebanese government was set to begin disarming Palestinian refugee camps in Beirut and its suburbs this week. Citing a Lebanese official familiar with Palestinian affairs in Lebanon, Palestinian news agency WAFA stated that 'Palestine renewed its commitment to the joint statement issued on May 21 following the meeting held between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and President Mahmoud Abbas in Beirut.' He added that the statement emphasized 'Lebanon's sovereignty, the extension of state authority, and the exclusive right of the Lebanese state to bear arms, as well as the need to end any manifestations outside its authority. 'Palestinian security and military bodies will begin full cooperation with the Lebanese security forces as agreed upon when conditions permit and after the necessary preparations are completed,' the official said. On the Lebanese side, the only statement issued in this regard was by Ramez Dimashkieh, head of the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee, who said that 'he received a call from Azzam Al-Ahmad, secretary-general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, during which they discussed the latest developments.' Dimashkieh affirmed that 'the dialogue committee is fully committed to the joint statement issued by the Lebanese and Palestinian presidents, which clearly emphasized respect for Lebanese sovereignty, the principle of exclusive state control over weapons, and the necessity of ending the visible presence of Palestinian arms, according to a specific timeline.' Youssef Al-Zari'i, Fatah's media representative in Sidon, confirmed that Palestinian factions, including Fatah and Islamic movements, all expressed willingness to hand over weapons and allow Lebanese authority throughout the country. However, he argued that delays are 'reasonable given the delicate regional situation,' with implementation tied to evolving Middle Eastern dynamics. Palestinian sources told Arab News that significant resistance has emerged within Palestinian ranks over Abbas's quick acceptance of disarmament deadlines. 'Multiple Palestinian factions, particularly within Fatah, are uncomfortable with Abbas's hasty agreement to weapon collection schedules,' one insider said. Beyond regional timing issues, fundamental questions about execution mechanisms remain unresolved. 'Fatah claims it holds limited heavy weapons in Lebanese camps compared to other groups, especially Hamas,' a source said. Since Fatah's weapons belong to the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority and operate under Lebanese oversight, unilateral disarmament could create dangerous imbalances. 'If Fatah surrenders its arsenal while Hamas and affiliated groups retain theirs, Fatah becomes vulnerable within camp dynamics,' the source warned. Hamas continues defending its Lebanese weapons as legitimate resistance tools while deflecting surrender demands through broader political arguments. The group links disarmament to comprehensive refugee solutions, including return rights and enhanced social protections for displaced populations in Lebanon. Palestinian camps across Lebanon emphasize that sustainable solutions must address living standards, legal rights including property ownership, while maintaining respect for Lebanese sovereignty and law. The Lebanese and Palestinian presidents announced in a joint statement issued following their meeting a few weeks ago 'the formation of joint committees to address the issue of Palestinian weapons in refugee camps and to monitor the situation in the Palestinian camps.' They affirmed their commitment to the principle of placing all weapons under Lebanese state control. According to a joint Lebanese-Palestinian census conducted in 2017, the number of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon is estimated at around 200,000. Many live in harsh conditions within camps overseen by Palestinian factions and forces, which consider the possession of arms as integral to both the right of return and the broader struggle for the liberation of Palestine. Lebanon is home to 12 official Palestinian refugee camps, along with dozens of other communities dispersed across the country. The presence of weapons in Palestinian camps in Lebanon dates back to the 1969 Cairo Agreement between the PLO and the Lebanese government. The agreement stipulated that Palestinians were permitted to establish military bases in southern Lebanon and conduct political activities within the camps, effectively legitimizing armed Palestinian presence on Lebanese soil and in camps. However, following a civil war in which Palestinian weapons played a dominant role, Lebanon officially annulled the agreement in 1987. Weapons are distributed unevenly among the camps. Heavy weapons are found in the Ain Al-Hilweh camp, the most overcrowded camp and home to the various politically and militarily diverse factions, and in the Rashidieh camp in the Tyre region. This is in contrast to the Nahr Al-Bared camp in the north, which is completely devoid of weapons. It has been under the control of the Lebanese Army since 2007, following violent battles that lasted for more than three months between the Lebanese Army and Fatah Al-Islam, which launched attacks against the military that killed dozens. The disarmament process was scheduled to begin this week in the Shatila, Mar Elias, and Burj Al-Barajneh camps in Beirut and its southern suburbs. 'A committee was supposed to be formed to oversee implementation. There were discussions about assigning this role to the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee, which was seen by some as the appropriate authority. However, others dismissed it as a political body unrelated to the issue. This raised further questions: Who would assume responsibility for internal Palestinian affairs once weapons were handed over? Who would manage security inside the camps? And who would handle the cases of wanted individuals and those who had taken refuge there?' a Palestinian source stated. In recent months, the Lebanese Army has confiscated weapons from Palestinian military sites supported by the Syrian regime and located in the Bekaa Valley on the border with Syria. The most important of these was a base in Qusaya belonging to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, General Command and Fatah Al-Intifada, confiscating their equipment and ammunition. Before the outbreak of the Nahr Al-Bared camp battles, Lebanese political leaders had agreed during national dialogue talks to disarm Palestinians outside the camps within six months. This commitment was later echoed in the 2008 Doha Agreement, which outlined a national defense strategy that included addressing Palestinian arms both inside and outside the camps. However, these decisions were never implemented. In the years that followed, Ain Al-Hilweh, the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon, repeatedly witnessed violent clashes among rival Palestinian factions.
The National
4 days ago
- Politics
- The National
France under pressure over new date for UN Palestinian recognition summit
French President Emmanuel Macron must move swiftly to set a new date for a UN conference on Palestinian statehood after the Iran-Israel war derailed plans to hold it on Tuesday, activists have told The National. Mr Macron had said he may recognise a Palestinian state during the conference co-chaired with Saudi Arabia, raising some hope European countries would follow suit and increase diplomatic pressure on Israel to accept the proposal. The Iranian-Israeli conflict and track is itself part of the wider sort of issue emanating from the unresolved Israeli-Palestinian conflict John Lyndon, Allmep executive director The French President has vowed to push on with diplomatic efforts to achieve a two-state solution despite the delay, which he justified by saying that neither Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas nor Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman could fly to New York after Israel bombed Iran on Friday. The attack has triggered retaliatory attacks and the closure of the airspace of several countries in the region. Peace organisations who came to Paris for a conference on Friday on the two-state solution will be campaigning to ensure he delivers on his promise, said Brussels-based activist Dan Sobovitz, who took part in the meeting that was organised to contribute to this week's conference in New York. About 400 participants in Friday's conference were invited to the Elysee Palace to talk to the President, who reportedly told them he remained focused on supporting Palestinian statehood. "His main message was: you can count on me," Mr Sobovitz told The National. "He should commit to a date." The next UN General Assembly meeting is scheduled for September. In a closed-door meeting with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, the organisers of Friday's conference, the Alliance for Middle East Peace (Allmep), a network of 170 civil society organisations, highlighted concerns that the Palestinian issue would be sidelined by the latest Iran-Israel escalation. At least 15 Palestinians were killed on Sunday by Israeli fire near an aid centre in Gaza, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed in the enclave since October 2023 to more than 55,200. "The number one priority has to be ending Gaza's war," said John Lyndon, Allmep's executive director. "The situation between Iran and Israel is deeply concerning. It's incredibly destabilising for the region, but the Iranian-Israeli conflict and track is itself part of the wider sort of issue emanating from the unresolved Israeli-Palestinian conflict." France may reorganise the conference in the "coming weeks", Mr Barrot said, without giving a date. "The momentum is unstoppable," he told TV network Public Senat. Israel's ally For now, most French politicians, including Mr Macron, have rallied behind Israeli claims that the bombing was justified because of its right to defend itself in the face of Iran's nuclear programme. Some have called on President to remain focused on Palestine. The French government views Iran's nuclear programme as an existential threat for Europe and Israel, and Paris's relations with Tehran have become increasingly tense over Iran's three-year long detention of two French citizens in conditions "akin to torture". Last week, the UN nuclear watchdog's 35-nation board of governors declared Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in almost 20 years. "France must take Iran's threats against Israel seriously, while at the same time pushing for a solution to the Palestinian problem," Raphael Glucksmann, a leading socialist politician, said in an interview with national broadcaster TF1 on Monday. Some French analysts suggest Mr Macron had been struggling to gain momentum for the New York conference. Delaying it may give him more time to rally international support after a US campaign to discourage states from taking part. The President's initial hope of a "mutual recognition process" involving more Arab countries establishing ties with Israel, alongside other western countries, faced difficulties as Gaza ceasefire talks broke down. "It's catastrophic that once again, the decade-old Israeli-Palestinian question is pushed aside and taken hostage by war," said international affairs commentator Pierre Haski. "Postponing the conference is also a way of not exposing oneself to failure, though comments made both by Mr Macron and Mr Barrot show they're strongly committed to the idea of holding the conference considering the amount of energy and political capital they've invested in it," Mr Haski told The National. Shaddad Al Attili, head of the Palestine Liberation Organisation's negotiation unit, welcomed the delay, saying the Iran-Israel war would have overshadowed any announcements. "In these conditions, it's best to wait," he said. No empty gestures Yet the latest war has left many peace activists – both Palestinian and Israeli – wondering what comes next, as concerns mount over regional instability. One Palestinian NGO worker, who asked to remain anonymous due to online threats to participants of Friday's conference, said the postponement was understandable given that Palestinian cities including Ramallah and Jericho had been closed by Israel because of the Iranian attacks. "It's a horrible time," they said, speaking from Ramallah after returning from Paris via Jordan. "The bombings are not just on Tel Aviv, they're also near us." About 224 people in Iran, including senior officials and nuclear scientists, have been killed in Israeli bombing since Friday, and 24 in Israel have died in Iranian missile attacks. In Israel, Mr Macron's two-state solution initiative has been rejected by the government and viewed by many as a hostile move. Many Israeli peace activists who took part in Friday's conference were left stranded in Paris by the closure of Israeli airspace, which remains in place. "Recognition is too important to be offered as an empty gesture. It needs to be done at a time when people can give priority to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict," Israeli analyst Gil Murciano told The National. "It should be used as a tool to promote a two-state solution. Right now, people care about whether they'll be alive tomorrow."
LBCI
4 days ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Disarmament stalls: Palestinian arms deal in Beirut derailed by war, internal divisions
Report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Mariella Succar June 16 had initially been set as the start date for the handover of Palestinian weapons, beginning with the camps in Beirut. But the roar of regional war has allowed the failure of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to follow through on his commitments to pass largely unnoticed. However, the war has only served to obscure what was already a faltering process. Even in the absence of conflict, the agreement was unlikely to be implemented. Abbas's pledge to disarm faces longstanding internal Palestinian obstacles that predate the war. According to two Lebanese sources, Abbas's commitment to surrender weapons received a lukewarm response within the Palestine Liberation Organization, which includes factions opposed to disarmament. While Palestinian sources insist that the PLO factions will ultimately comply with whatever the Palestinian president decides, regardless of internal objections, they also acknowledge another complicating factor: weapons held by other groups—including Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Asbat al-Ansar, and hardline factions, especially in the Ein El Hilweh camp. Addressing this requires direct dialogue with those groups. The sources noted that a Palestinian security delegation had visited Lebanon prior to Eid al-Adha to discuss the issue and then returned to Ramallah, with plans to return after the holiday—a trip that never happened. The Lebanese side had been waiting for a clear timeline and mechanism for the handover, along with a designated starting point for implementation. A week passed without any response before the outbreak of war made it even more difficult for the delegation to travel from Ramallah, due to restricted air travel and the closure of regional airspace. Despite the delay, Lebanese officials maintain that the matter is not closed. Once conditions stabilize, they intend to resume efforts to reach a practical framework for disarmament. Authorities in Lebanon have approached the issue through dialogue rather than confrontation, expressing in several meetings support for Palestinian rights—so long as they do not lead to permanent resettlement—and emphasizing that all arms must ultimately be under the control of the Lebanese state.
LBCI
4 days ago
- Business
- LBCI
Lebanon's cabinet approves major policy steps, stresses keeping country out of regional conflict
Lebanon's Cabinet approved a new round of diplomatic appointments during a session held at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, according to Information Minister Paul Morcos, who read the official decisions following the meeting. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam emphasized the need to keep Lebanon from being dragged into the ongoing regional war, warning of consequences the country is not responsible for. Salam also said he had asked Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to begin implementing prior decisions regarding the disarmament of Palestinian factions. However, no official date was set for the handover of weapons. The Lebanese Foreign Minister also briefed the Cabinet on the status of hundreds of Lebanese citizens stranded at airports worldwide and possible solutions. The Cabinet was also updated on airport operations by the Minister of Public Works. Discussion also took place on proposed amendments to the electoral law, with a ministerial committee formed to study the changes. The Cabinet approved Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri's proposal for a plan to facilitate the return of Syrian refugees. Ministers also agreed to revisit a proposal to establish a Ministry of Technology and Artificial Intelligence. In a key financial decision, the Cabinet approved an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to open a permanent IMF representative office in Lebanon. It also approved raising the housing loan cap for beneficiaries from $50,000 to $100,000. The Cabinet approved several ministry requests and grants while rejecting a conditional donation. The Lebanese Energy Minister said he proposed suspending a planned increase in fuel prices. He emphasized that support for military personnel remains in place and stated that he would return to the Cabinet with a comprehensive proposal.
New York Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Conference on Palestinian Statehood Postponed Amid Israel-Iran Fighting
A U.N. conference set for next week to explore the creation of a Palestinian state has been postponed because of the fighting between Israel and Iran, President Emmanuel Macron of France says. For Mr. Macron, the meeting's co-chairman alongside Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, the postponement delays a delicate decision on French recognition of a Palestinian state. In a move that infuriated Israel, the French president had indicated that he would formally do so at the conference. Speaking on Friday evening, Mr. Macron said the postponement would be brief with a new date to be set in the coming days. It was needed because leaders in the region, including Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority president, would be unable to travel because of the fighting. 'For logistical, physical, security and political reasons, they could not get to New York,' Mr. Macron said. But he added that the movement toward a two-state outcome symbolized by the conference was 'unstoppable.' That view is not shared by the United States or Israel, both of which had indicated that they would not attend the conference. The United States, in a cable a few days ago that was first reported by Reuters, urged countries to shun the talks, which it said would 'coerce Israel during a war, thereby supporting its enemies.' France, like a growing number of European states, including many that have previously supported Israel, has taken the view that the most right-wing government in Israel's history is leading the country down a destructive blind alley at devastating cost in Palestinian lives. This conviction has driven France to seek a political framework for the aftermath of the war in Gaza that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has persistently declined to outline. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
