Lebanon is preparing a national plan to strengthen State authority and improve security and governance in Palestinian refugee camps, as efforts to collect weapons from Palestinian factions remain incomplete.

Ramez Dimachkieh, head of the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee, told Kataeb.org that factions affiliated with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) had handed over 30 truckloads of weapons, representing 80% of their stockpiles. Other factions have yet to cooperate with the process, he said, adding that efforts to collect weapons would continue until completion.

Dimachkieh said all weapons must be placed under state control, citing Lebanon’s Constitution, the Taif Agreement, United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1559 and 1701, an agreement between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the policy statement of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s government, and Cabinet decisions adopted on Aug. 5 and 7, 2025.

Asked whether negotiations over Gaza could affect the handover of Palestinian weapons in Lebanon, Dimachkieh referred to a 15-point Gaza roadmap dated July 30, 2026. He said Hamas had accepted the roadmap, while Israel had rejected it.

“Progress on this track could help facilitate the handover of weapons by Hamas in Lebanon, but the principle of exclusive state control over weapons here is rooted in Lebanese sovereignty and state decisions. Its implementation does not depend on the outcome of negotiations in Gaza,” he said.

“The issue is whether weapons are subject to state authority, regardless of their quantity or who possesses them.”

The plan also seeks to address drug trafficking, uncontrolled weapons and armed groups that threaten camp residents and surrounding communities.

Dimachkieh cited Shatila camp as an example, saying its population had changed significantly and now included people of various nationalities, adding to its social, security and public-service challenges.

He said drug networks and armed groups exploit unemployment, social vulnerability and the lack of opportunities for a decent livelihood to recruit young people. He called for action against these networks alongside efforts to address the conditions that allow them to expand.

“These challenges underscore the need for state institutions to be present and for an approach that encompasses security, the judiciary, public services and opportunities for a decent livelihood. This is why the National Plan for the Governance of Palestinian Camps is so important,” he said.

Consultations on the plan are due to begin at the end of October with the support of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. The discussions will involve Lebanese and Palestinian official bodies, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Palestinian factions, municipalities, trade unions, civil society and human rights organizations, and representatives of camp residents.

The consultations aim to establish the plan’s priorities, clarify the responsibilities of the institutions involved and determine how the proposals will be implemented. The final draft will be completed and adopted after the proposals have been discussed, Dimachkieh said.

The plan calls for relevant Lebanese agencies to exercise their security and judicial responsibilities while cooperating with UNRWA within its mandate.

Dimachkieh said the initiative rejects the permanent resettlement of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and seeks to preserve their Palestinian identity and right of return. He stressed that bringing the camps under state authority and the rule of law would not undermine those rights or end international assistance.

“Organizing the affairs of Palestinian refugees and improving their living conditions in Lebanon do not undermine their right of return, nor do they relieve the international community of its responsibilities toward them,” he said.

Dimachkieh added that governance in the camps extends beyond security to include judicial affairs, administration, public services and the division of responsibilities. He stressed that placing all weapons under state control was not negotiable.

He said the State would also be responsible for protecting camp residents, enforcing the law and ensuring access to justice and public services. Residents should be involved in the process as partners and beneficiaries of improved security and stability, he added.

Strengthening the state's role would not replace UNRWA or relieve the international community of its obligations toward Palestinian refugees, Dimachkieh said. Instead, it would require clearer responsibilities and closer cooperation to maintain services and assistance.

The success of the plan will depend on broad participation, clear responsibilities and the implementation of practical measures to strengthen State authority while improving living conditions inside the camps and in surrounding areas.