Palestinian factions in Beirut begin handing over weapons at camp

Palestinian factions began handing over some of the weapons held in a refugee camp on the outskirts of Beirut to the Lebanese army Thursday, an initial step in implementing a plan officials announced three months earlier for removing arms from the camps.

- BY ABBY SEWELL AND ALI SHARAFEDDINE

HUSSEIN MALLA Associated Press

PALESTINIAN gunmen, left, and citizens, center, look at a Lebanese soldier near a refugee camp in Beirut.

It was a modest first step. A pickup left the camp loaded with light weapons packed in bags. The butts of machine guns could be seen protruding from some sacks.

It remains unclear whether all factions will abide by the decision. Representatives of Hamas and the allied Palestinian Islamic Jihad did not respond to requests for comment.

A spokesperson for Hamas sent a statement signed by "the Palestinian Factions in Lebanon" that called Thursday's handover of weapons "an internal organizational matter within the Fatah movement" that "has no connection, near or far, to the issue of Palestinian weapons in the camps."

It added, "Our weapons have always been and will always be linked to the right of return and the just Palestinian cause and will remain so as long as the occupation remains on Palestinian soil."