Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is expected in Beirut on May 21 to discuss the "extension of authority" of the Lebanese government over Palestinian refugee camps that currently escape its control, a government official told AFP on Tuesday.
Approximately 250,000 Palestinian refugees live in Lebanon in these overcrowded camps, where Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah is present, along with Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups.
In an interview on April 30, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun indicated that the authorities were working "to remove heavy and medium weaponry from the entire Lebanese territory" and that he should discuss the disarmament of the Palestinian camps with Mahmoud Abbas.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam had also emphasized "the need to hand over illegal weapons (to the state) and not allow Hamas or other factions to compromise the country's stability."
The office of the Palestinian president confirmed Mahmoud Abbas's visit to Lebanon on May 21, after Lebanese authorities had arrested Hamas members accused of launching rockets towards Israel despite the current cease-fire.
According to the Lebanese government official, who requested anonymity, Mahmoud Abbas will discuss with Lebanese leaders "the modalities for extending the state's authority to the entire Lebanese territory, including the Palestinian camps."
Under a long-standing agreement, security inside Palestinian refugee camps is provided by Palestinian factions, and the Lebanese army does not enter them.
Hamas is an ally of the pro-Iranian Hezbollah in Lebanon, which had a deadly conflict with the Israeli army following the war between the Palestinian movement and Israel in Gaza.
During the war in Lebanon, which a cease-fire ended on Nov. 27, Hamas claimed responsibility for rocket fire on Israel from the country.
Following new unclaimed rocket fire twice in late March, several Hamas members suspected of being involved in these attacks were arrested by the Lebanese army or handed over by the Palestinian movement to Lebanese authorities.
Israel responded to these attacks by bombing the southern suburbs of Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold.
In early May, the High Defense Council, Lebanon's highest security body, warned Hamas against using Lebanese territory to launch attacks on Israel.
The last visit of the Palestinian Authority president to Lebanon was in Feb. 2017.