Lebanese, Palestinian Leaders: Lebanon Won’t Be Used to Strike Israel/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Lebanese and Palestinian leaders pledged not to launch attacks on Israel from Lebanon. Both sides agreed all weapons should be under Lebanese state control. The move follows rising tensions and recent Israeli airstrikes.
Lebanon-Israel Peace Commitments: Quick Looks
- Presidents Joseph Aoun and Mahmoud Abbas met in Beirut on Wednesday.
- Abbas is in Lebanon for a three-day official visit, his first since 2018.
- Both leaders agreed not to allow attacks on Israel from Lebanese territory.
- Palestinian weapons not under Lebanese authority are to be removed.
- Palestinian refugee camps will no longer host extremist elements, the joint statement said.
- The 12 Palestinian camps, including Ein el-Hilweh, have housed militant factions for decades.
- Details on how weapons will be removed from the camps remain unclear.
- In March, Israel bombed southern Lebanon after Hamas allegedly fired rockets from there.
- Lebanese forces arrested 10 suspects and pressured Hamas to surrender three militants.
- The agreement is part of Lebanon’s effort to restore state sovereignty, especially in the south.
Deep Look: Lebanon and Palestinian Leadership Commit to Prevent Cross-Border Attacks on Israel
BEIRUT — May 21, 2025 — In a rare show of political unity, the presidents of Lebanon and Palestine declared Wednesday that Palestinian factions would no longer use Lebanese territory as a platform to attack Israel, and that unauthorized weapons held outside state control would be removed.
The agreement was reached during a meeting in Beirut between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is on a three-day visit to Lebanon, his first in seven years. The meeting marks a significant moment in Lebanon’s bid to reassert state authority, especially in the country’s volatile south, which borders Israel.
A Pledge of Stability After Regional Escalation
The joint statement, delivered by Lebanese presidential spokeswoman Najat Sharafeddine, emphasized that only the Lebanese state should possess weapons, effectively calling for disarmament of armed Palestinian groups operating from refugee camps.
“The existence of weapons outside the control of the Lebanese state has ended,” the statement declared.
The agreement comes just months after Israel escalated airstrikes on southern Lebanon, blaming Hamas for launching rockets into northern Israel. The attacks triggered a harsh response and led to the arrest of nearly 10 suspects by Lebanese authorities — a rare direct action against Palestinian militants.
Refugee Camps No Longer Safe Havens
Lebanon is home to 12 Palestinian refugee camps, which are not governed by the Lebanese state and have long functioned as semi-autonomous zones for various Palestinian factions, including Fatah, Hamas, and smaller jihadist groups.
The largest of these camps, Ein el-Hilweh, near the southern city of Sidon, has been a frequent flashpoint for violent clashes among rival factions. Residents and surrounding neighborhoods have long suffered from insecurity and lawlessness stemming from internal camp conflicts.
The joint statement affirmed that the camps will no longer serve as “safe havens for extremist groups.” However, the mechanism for disarming these factions or ensuring full state oversight remains unclear.
Backdrop: Rising Tensions With Israel
The agreement follows a turbulent period. In late March, Israel intensified airstrikes in southern Lebanon after allegations that Hamas militants fired rockets from near refugee camps. This marked one of the most serious escalations between Israel and Lebanese-based Palestinian militants since the Israel-Hezbollah war ended in 2024.
In response, the Lebanese military took the unprecedented step of arresting Palestinian suspects involved in the incident and reportedly pressured Hamas to surrender three militants involved in the attacks.
Ramifications for Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon
While this new accord aims to improve security and political stability, it does little to change the marginalized status of nearly 400,000 Palestinians living in Lebanon. Most are descendants of families who fled or were displaced following the founding of Israel in 1948.
Palestinian refugees in Lebanon face systemic discrimination:
- They are barred from owning property.
- Denied employment in many professional sectors.
- Provided limited legal protections.
Despite these restrictions, the Lebanese government hopes this new policy will reduce external tensions and internal unrest, especially in the south, which bore the brunt of past conflicts with Israel and Hezbollah.
The Broader Picture: Strengthening Lebanese Sovereignty
The agreement aligns with President Aoun’s broader effort to reassert national control in all regions of Lebanon, especially following the U.S.-brokered ceasefire that ended last year’s war with Hezbollah.
By bringing Palestinian factions into alignment with state authority, Lebanese officials hope to avert further Israeli strikes, protect civilians, and restore international confidence in the government’s capacity to govern.
While Mahmoud Abbas expressed support for these reforms, enforcement will be challenging given the deep-rooted autonomy of the camps, the presence of militant groups, and the fragile domestic political landscape in Lebanon.
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