Palestinian factions in a Beirut camp handed over weapons to the Lebanese army as part of an agreement to consolidate arms under Lebanese government authority. US envoy Tom Barrack described the handover as a historic step toward unity and stability. The May agreement between Mahmoud Abbas and Joseph Aoun aims to place weapons under state control, and the Lebanese cabinet has moved to enforce a monopoly on arms by year-end. Hezbollah has refused to disarm, saying it will treat the decision as if it does not exist while remaining "open to dialogue" about national security. Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem warned that disarmament serves US and Israeli interests and could trigger a serious crisis and even civil war.
The development was highlighted by US envoy Tom Barrack, who called it a "historic step toward unity and stability."
Hezbollah has remained opposed to its disarmament, stating that it would treat the decision "as if it doesn't exist."
If the government seeks confrontation with Hezbollah, he said, "there will be no life in Lebanon."
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