Lebanon has begun addressing the governance of its Palestinian refugee camps, seeking to establish a framework for security, administration and services in a system where responsibilities overlap among Palestinian factions, popular committees, state institutions and the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Friday launched consultations on a plan prepared by the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee, headed by Ambassador Ramez Dimashkieh, before its final version is submitted to the Cabinet.
Salam stressed that Palestinian refugee camps fall under Lebanese sovereignty and are subject to Lebanese law.
“The presence of state institutions in the camps must become clear and consistent,” he declared.
He linked the governance initiative to the National Accord Document, the state’s exclusive control over weapons and its sole authority to decide on war and peace.
Salam also referred to the understanding reached between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in May 2025, as well as steps already taken to address the issue of Palestinian weapons.
He stressed that the initiative would cover security, the rule of law, and social, economic and service-related conditions.
The prime minister revealed that a draft law was being prepared to regulate refugees’ rights and obligations, including employment and social security.
He reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to the Palestinian right of return and its rejection of permanent resettlement, stressing that UNRWA and the international community must continue to bear responsibility for refugee services, without the Lebanese state replacing the agency.
For his part, Dimashkieh described the launch of consultations on a national plan to govern Palestinian refugee camps as an unprecedented step toward establishing a unified Lebanese state vision for their management and administration.
The camps are located on Lebanese territory and fall under Lebanese sovereignty, and that any new arrangements would be developed through partnership and dialogue with all Palestinian groups, without exception, he stressed.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Dimashkieh explained that the initiative could be the first of its kind in Lebanon’s history of dealing with Palestinian refugee camps.
“For the first time, consultations are being launched to develop a unified Lebanese state plan for managing and governing the camps, rather than having each institution continue to deal with the issue separately, according to its own area of responsibility,” he noted.
The main problem, according to Dimashkieh, has been the absence of coordination and a common vision among the institutions involved, including the security services and Lebanese Army, governorates and municipalities, the ministries of health and labor, and UNRWA.
“Each institution viewed conditions in the camps from its own perspective, without an overarching framework to organize responsibilities and mechanisms for addressing the various issues,” he explained.
Dimashkieh revealed that consultations would continue over the next six months, bringing together the relevant Lebanese and Palestinian parties to reach the best possible formula for governing the camps.
Discussions will cover security, administrative and legal matters, including the role of security forces, the possible adoption of community policing and issues falling within the jurisdiction of the Justice Ministry and other relevant institutions.
He stressed that Palestinians would be key partners throughout the process, with no group excluded.
“The aim is to listen to everyone and reach a formula that commands the broadest possible consensus.”
Dimashkieh further underscored the growing urgency of reorganizing camp administration, particularly as the demographic composition of some camps has changed considerably.
“In some camps, Palestinians now account for only around 30% of residents, compared with approximately 70% who are Syrians or people of other nationalities,” he pointed out.
These demographic shifts require both Lebanese and Palestinian authorities to reconsider how the camps are administered and how their circumstances are addressed, he explained.
As for the next steps, Dimashkieh said that the proposal agreed upon after consultations and the identification of mechanisms for addressing the issue would be submitted to the Lebanese Cabinet for a decision.
12 camps and a legacy dating back to the Cairo Agreement
Lebanon’s 12 official Palestinian refugee camps are spread across several regions.
Five are in the south: Ain al-Hilweh, Mieh Mieh, Rashidieh, Burj al-Shemali and Al-Buss.
Four are in Beirut and Mount Lebanon: Burj al-Barajneh, Shatila, Mar Elias and Dbayeh.
Two are in the north, Beddawi and Nahr al-Bared, while the Bekaa Valley hosts the Jalil camp in Baalbek.
The number of registered Palestinian refugees differs considerably from the number actually residing in Lebanon.
UNRWA had approximately 488,000 refugees registered as of June 2025, while a 2017 Lebanese-Palestinian census counted around 174,000 Palestinians living in camps and gatherings, using a different methodology.
The UN agency’s registration figures do not constitute a census of current residents.
The roots of the camps’ special security arrangements date to the 1969 Cairo Agreement, which the Lebanese parliament annulled in 1987.
Nevertheless, Palestinian popular committees and factions have continued to play roles in the camps.
In 2025, factions affiliated with the Palestine Liberation Organization handed over weapons to the Lebanese Army. However, the issue of arms held by all Palestinian organizations has yet to be fully resolved.
