Report: Handover of Palestinian arms to begin from south Lebanon
The major developments in the region, especially the Israeli-Iranian war, have reshuffled all cards in Lebanon and frozen the discussion of a number of files, most notably the handover of Palestinian weapons present in refugee camps, a process that was supposed to begin Monday from Beirut's camps, a media report said.
Official sources told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper that the relevant Palestinian sides in Lebanon are yet to be informed of any instructions, whether from the leadership in Ramallah or from Lebanese security agencies, regarding the handover of weapons present in any camp during the coming days.
'This does not mean freezing the file, but rather waiting for resolving some internal Palestinian issues that are being addressed,' the sources said.
'The factions requested a grace period before the start of the handover of weapons from Beirut's camps, and it has been agreed to begin from the South's camps that fall within U.N. Resolution 1701's area of operations,' the sources added.
'The handover will begin from the Tyre region where the al-Bass camp is located and the al-Rashidiyeh and al-Burj al-Shamali camps will follow,' the sources explained, noting that 'execution will take place over stages and without specific deadlines.'
And according to Lebanese sources, Azzam al-Ahmad, the Fatah Movement official in charge of the Lebanese file, will return to Lebanon over the next days at the head of a security delegation to continue discussed the handover mechanisms and the rest of the details.
Al-Ahmad had spent days in Lebanon prior to Eid al-Adha in a bid to resolve some disputes within the Fatah Movement over this file. He also held talks with Lebanese security agencies and state authorities.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Ya Libnan
2 hours ago
- Ya Libnan
Lebanon's Political Class still shielding the architect of Its financial collapse
Riad Salameh who was once internationally seen as the guardian of Lebanon's financial stability, has fallen from grace long time ago . He spent his final weeks in office a wanted man, faced with French and German arrest warrants that have been prompted by long-running corruption probes. By: YaLibnan Once again, Lebanon's parliament has proven it is more interested in protecting itself than protecting the Lebanese people. The recent legislation—presented as a step toward financial reform—does nothing to address the core of Lebanon's economic collapse. It reflects a complete lack of political will to uncover the truth, deliver accountability, or rescue the nation's economy from further ruin. At the heart of the financial catastrophe lies one of the most egregious Ponzi schemes in modern history, masterminded by the long-serving Central Bank Governor, Riad Salameh. For decades, Salameh artificially propped up Lebanon's banking system through unsustainable financial engineering that required constant inflows of new deposits to pay off old obligations—classic Ponzi scheme mechanics. When the inflows stopped, the entire system collapsed. The Lebanese people—especially the small and middle-class depositors—were left holding the bag. Instead of being held accountable, Salameh was protected. For years, Lebanon's ruling elite shielded him, allowing him to operate above the law. He was indispensable to their survival: his schemes funded the corrupt political machine, allowed unsustainable state borrowing, and enriched banks tied to the ruling parties. When European countries—particularly France, Germany, and Luxembourg—launched criminal investigations and issued international arrest warrants, the Lebanese judiciary did nothing. Not only did Lebanon refuse to extradite him, but its institutions closed ranks around him. It wasn't until international pressure became too loud to ignore that the political establishment staged a new maneuver: Salameh was quietly arrested in Beirut in September 2024 and placed in pretrial detention. At first glance, this looked like justice at last. But in truth, it was another calculated move by the ruling class—not to prosecute him, but to protect him from facing justice abroad. Lebanon does not extradite its citizens, and by detaining Salameh locally, the authorities ensured he would never face European courts or reveal the full extent of the financial crimes that implicate them all. This isn't justice. It's obstruction. Where did the depositors' money go? It went to fund decades of deficits, bloated public institutions, phantom infrastructure projects, and private enrichment. It vanished into luxury real estate in Europe, offshore accounts, and shady deals approved and facilitated by political and banking elites. The man who knows where every dollar went—Riad Salameh—sits in a Lebanese jail, protected by the very people who should be standing trial with him. Parliament's latest legislation does nothing to recover the stolen funds, hold the guilty accountable, or implement real financial reform. It is yet another smokescreen—an attempt to buy time, deflect blame, and preserve a dying system that benefits the few at the expense of the many. Lebanon will not be saved by cosmetic reforms or symbolic arrests. It needs truth. It needs accountability. And above all, it needs an end to the culture of impunity that has allowed an entire country to be looted in broad daylight. The Lebanese people deserve to know: Who stole their money? Where is it? And why are the thieves still in power? Until those questions are answered, recovery is impossible. Justice delayed is justice denied.
Al Manar
10 hours ago
- Al Manar
Families of Israeli Captives Say They 'Are Becoming Skin and Bone', Call for Ending Gaza War
Families of Israeli captives in Gaza and their supporters gathered in Tel Aviv on Saturday to call the Israeli government to reach a deal and end the war in the besieged strip after Palestinian resistance groups issued this week videos of captives. Hundreds of Israeli took part in a protest for the captives in Tel Aviv, where family members set up a barbed wire camp after Hamas and Islamic Jihad resistance movements released videos in recent days showing the dire condition of hostages Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski. A mother of an Israeli captive said: 'In recent days, we saw the difficult videos of Rom and Evyatar from captivity.' 'Our children are undergoing a Holocaust. Jews are becoming skin and bones because of political survival,' mother of hostage Matan Zangauker said at the protest. She referred to accusations that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is prolonging the war in Gaza to appease his far-right coalition partners and stay in power. 'If we don't free everyone now, they will not survive for much longer,' Zangauker said. Earlier on Saturday, the Israeli Hostage Family Forum called on the Israeli occupation government to reach a comprehensive deal on Gaza and end the war. 'We appeal to the Israeli government and the US administration: Look our loved ones – and us – in the eyes. The danger to their lives is tangible and immediate. The risk of losing those deceased is growing. This is the time for a comprehensive deal and an end to the war. No more delays. No more leaving them behind. Stop this nightmare and bring them out of the tunnels and home,' the statement read. Videos of Israeli Captives Hamas resistance group on Friday published a new video of captive David, a day after Palestinian Islamic Jihad published a video of captive Braslavski. The video released by Hamas compares between the Israeli captive David and a starving Palestinian kid in Gaza due to famine caused by Israeli blockade, and blames the Zionist government for the consequences of the war. Family of Israeli captive David did not grant approval for airing the video to the Israeli public, Israeli media reported, but added that the footage was shared on social media. 'Those who have seen it now understand how serious it is and the physical condition Evyatar was in,' The Times of Israel quoted sister of captive David as saying.
L'Orient-Le Jour
17 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Lebanese branch of Transparency International calls for justice for Aug. 4 victims
As the fifth anniversary of the Beirut port double explosion on Aug. 4, 2020, approaches, the Lebanon branch of the organization Transparency International has issued a statement calling for justice for the victims and their families. "On this day, with its wound still gaping in the collective memory of the Lebanese people, and despite five years marked by obstruction, interference and hindrances to the judicial process, we affirm that justice for the victims and for the nation starts under the arch of the court and is achieved by establishing a state governed by the rule of law, based on rights and freedoms and putting an end to impunity," the association said in a statement. "The independence and integrity of the judiciary are essential conditions for guaranteeing accountability and justice. Our commitment to this principle is non-negotiable, especially in the face of the ongoing paralysis of the investigation and attempts to obstruct or derail it through political pressures and interference," the text continued. The investigation led by the investigative judge at the Court of Justice, Tarek Bitar, was relaunched last January after two years of political and judicial hindrances. The statement added: "The reconstruction of a new Lebanon cannot succeed until citizens' trust in their institutions is restored and until those responsible for the destruction of the capital and the loss of human life are held accountable." Transparency International also stressed the need for "transparent judicial appointments, fighting corruption and a comprehensive and independent reform of the judiciary." On Thursday, Parliament passed an organizational law aimed at freeing justice in Lebanon from political interference and strengthening its independence. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Friday evening on X that he had signed the decree on judicial appointments that afternoon. The association also highlighted the role of the REHUB platform ( which provides a real-time dashboard to monitor reform progress and publish official documents, "thus enabling citizens and the media to monitor the performance of authorities and have a concrete tool to strengthen transparency and accountability."
