Mahmoud Abbas in Beirut on mission to disarm Palestinian refugee camps

President and Lebanese leader Joseph Aoun agree that all weapons must be under state control at start of significant three-day visit

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, left, and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, Lebanon. Reuters

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is in Beirut on a mission to disarm Lebanon's Palestinian refugee camps and bring all weapons under Lebanese state control.

After his meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Wednesday at the start of a significant three-day visit, a joint statement was released to underscore the commitment of both sides to the principle that all weapons in the country must controlled by state authorities.

“They declare their belief that the era of weapons outside the authority of the Lebanese state is over,” the statement read.

In recent months, discussions in Lebanon about disarming non-state groups have focused on Hezbollah, but attention has now turned towards weapons in the Palestinian refugee camps.

The joint statement added that a committee would be formed to monitor the situation in the Palestinian refugee camps and work to improve living conditions.

'Dignified life'

The two sides also stated that they are committed to ensuring a dignified life for Palestinians in Lebanon “without prejudice to their right of return or affecting their national identity”.

They also agreed that Palestinian factions won't use Lebanon as a launchpad for any attacks against Israel.

In March Israel massively increased its airstrikes on south Lebanon in response to fighters linked to Hamas allegedly firing rockets at the country from southern Lebanon. Shortly afterwards the Lebanese military arrested a number of suspects involved, including some who were turned over from different refugee camps.

The streets of the Burj Al Barajneh Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut. Reuters

Mr Abbas, who last visited Lebanon in 2017, is seeking to peacefully disarm the Palestinian factions in Lebanon, a difficult task with many potential stumbling blocks. He is also standing up for the rights of the hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.

Lebanon is home to 12 official Palestinian refugee camps that are outside the control of the Lebanese state. Those refugees are descended from – or are – people expelled from their homes in 1948 during the Nakba and creation of the state of Israel.

Their status in Lebanon means they are subject to many restrictions, including the professions they can pursue. The refugees do not have the right to Lebanese citizenship and therefore do not qualify for state benefits like health care and education.

Services in the camps, where living conditions are often grim, are provided by UNRWA and other non-governmental organisations.