The Lebanese state and the Palestinian Authority have taken a major step forward by successfully securing the removal of weapons from the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp near the southern city of Sidon.
The disarmament of Ain al-Hilweh is seen as the most sensitive part of the operation launched by the Lebanese army to disarm Palestinian camps.
The size of Ain al-Hilweh, the largest in Lebanon, and its complex security environment serve as a refuge for a number of wanted individuals of various nationalities.
A Palestinian source in the camp told Asharq Al-Awsat that the weapons were gathered in the Jabal al-Halib area before being handed over to the Lebanese army.
The source said "the operation was carried out away from the spotlight” after accusations of betrayal had spread on social media, fueled by individuals affiliated with the Islamic factions, which have strongly criticized the operation.
The source explained that people in the camp are divided between those who support the handover of heavy weapons and the regulation of light arms, and those who reject any disarmament.
The Lebanese army confirmed that it received "five truckloads of weapons from the Ain al-Hilweh camp” and "three trucks from the Beddawi camp in Tripoli,” in northern Lebanon.
"The delivery included various types of weapons, shells, and ammunition," the army said in a statement.
The Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee, a body affiliated with the Lebanese prime minister's office that is overseeing the arms transfer process, announced in a statement that it is continuing its "meetings with various Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad."
It said the discussions were part of its commitment to extending Lebanon’s sovereignty over all its territory.
Hamas sources revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat that a meeting will be held in the coming days with the Committee to discuss the issue of weapons handover and other related matters.
The sources stressed that "Palestinian weapons in Lebanon carry more than just military significance - they are symbolic. This symbolism is linked to the Palestinians' right of return and the continuation of armed struggle against the Zionist enemy until a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian cause is achieved."
According to information received by Asharq Al-Awsat, Hamas is holding meetings with Islamic factions in Ain al-Hilweh to unify their stance. Reportedly, the main obstacle hindering a mutual understanding is the issue of the wanted individuals and the mechanism for dealing with them.
Abdel Hadi al-Asadi, who is the spokesman for the Palestinian National Security Forces in Lebanon, said the umbrella group conducted "the operation of delivering new batches of weapons.”
During a visit to Beirut in May, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas agreed with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun that weapons in Lebanon's Palestinian refugee camps would be handed over to the Lebanese authorities.
