Disarming Palestinians in Lebanon Discussed
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said Friday that he would abide by any decision Lebanon made on disarming Palestinians in refugee camps in Lebanon.
More than 350,000 Palestinian refugees are in Lebanon, including thousands of armed guerrillas from the mainstream Palestinian Fatah faction, in densely populated camps around the country that are off-limits to the Lebanese government.
Authorities fear that there would be bloodshed if they went into the camps.
“We are guests in Lebanon, temporary guests, and we are subject to Lebanese laws just like everybody else in Lebanon,” Abbas said after talks with President Emile Lahoud.
Abbas is also scheduled to meet with a Palestinian delegation from the camps and is expected to discuss disarmament.
In September, a U.N. Security Council resolution called for Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias to give up their weapons.
The resolution refers to the Lebanese Shiite Muslim Hezbollah guerrilla group and Palestinians in 12 camps across Lebanon.
Hezbollah has refused to disarm and the Lebanese government has backed its stance.
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