• Palestinian President Abbas met with Lebanese President Aoun to discuss disarming armed groups.
• The leaders agreed to place all weapons under Lebanese state control.
• Abbas emphasized that "the time for weapons is over" during his visit.
• The disarmament process is set to begin in mid-June at various refugee camps.
• The talks come against a backdrop of U.S. pressure to disarm armed factions in Lebanon.

During a three-day visit to Lebanon, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to discuss a significant framework aimed at disarming Palestinian factions within the country. The two leaders affirmed their agreement on the principle that all weapons should be controlled by state authorities, asserting that "the era of weapons outside the authority of the Lebanese state is over," according to Dawn and Middle East Eye.

In a broader context, Abbas's visit, which marked his first to Lebanon in seven years, included meetings with other high-ranking officials, such as Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. The leaders also reportedly agreed that Palestinian factions would not use Lebanon as a launchpad for attacks against Israel and that a joint committee would work towards improving living conditions in the Palestinian camps, as explained by Africanews and Middle East Eye.

Sources indicated that the disarmament process is expected to commence in mid-June, starting with refugee camps in Beirut and subsequently extending to the Bekaa Valley and other southern camps. This initiative is perceived as part of a larger strategy to reshape Lebanon's political landscape and respond to regional pressures, particularly from the U.S., following conflicts involving Hezbollah and Israel, according to Middle East Eye and Africanews.

Disarmament discussions come against the backdrop of a complex socio-political landscape where armed groups have historically operated in Palestinian refugee camps, reflecting ongoing struggles since the displacement of Palestinians in 1948. Despite these challenges, Abbas's administration is focused on leveraging this crucial moment to obtain civil rights for Palestinian refugees while supporting Lebanese sovereignty and security, according to Dawn and Africanews.