Lebanon's official warning to Hamas against using its territory to carry out actions that threaten its national security and constitute a violation of its sovereignty effectively means that Lebanese-Palestinian relations are on the verge of entering a new phase that requires the annulment of the Cairo Agreement, which was abrogated by the government of Prime Minister Salim al-Hoss in 1987. The implementation of this abrogation remained ink on paper under pressure from the former Syrian regime, which embraced the forces of the Palestinian coalition in its war against Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.

The Cairo Agreement was signed in 1969 between the Lebanese government and the PLO under Egyptian auspices. It constituted a violation of Lebanese sovereignty, as it allowed Palestinian factions to possess all types of weapons. This later deepened the rift among the Lebanese, with Palestinian factions joining the "National Movement" against the Christian parties in the civil war that broke out in the spring of 1975.

But political circumstances changed with the conclusion of the Taif Agreement, sponsored by Saudi Arabia, which stipulated the confinement of arms to the legitimate authority as a culmination of the war's end. This was followed by a consensus among the political parties at the first National Dialogue Conference, held in the spring of 2006, at the invitation of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, to collect Palestinian weapons inside and outside the camps. The Syrian regime prevented this from being implemented.

The same position, regarding the collection of illegal weapons and their exclusive control over the state, applies to Resolution 1701 in all its provisions, and the necessity of its implementation in response to the agreement sponsored by the United States and France, to implement the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel. This came in the wake of Hezbollah’s monopolization of support for Gaza, and the resulting unprecedented destruction resulting from its miscalculation of the Israeli response. In addition, the party demanded a withdrawal from south of the Litani River to make way for the deployment of the Lebanese Army with the support of the Interim International Emergency Force (UNIFIL) up to the international border, even though Israel obstructed its deployment by retaining a number of points.

Therefore, the opening of the Hamas file did not come out of nowhere, but rather came against the backdrop of its support for Gaza by violating Lebanese sovereignty, most recently by launching rockets from north of the Litani River towards the settlements of Metulla and Kiryat Shmona, and its involvement in the warehouse raided by Lebanese army units, which found quantities of rockets and platforms prepared for their launch.

The warning issued by the Lebanese government to Hamas, based on the recommendation issued by the Supreme Defense Council meeting chaired by President Joseph Aoun, and attended by his deputy, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, is more like an ultimatum that applies to all Palestinian factions and groups without exception. It paves the way for the upcoming visit of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) to Beirut on May 21. On the agenda is the collection of heavy and medium Palestinian weapons from inside the camps, because Hamas is no longer permitted to use southern territory to launch rockets, according to its own agenda that conflicts with the Lebanese insistence on ending the war to restore stability to the south.

In this context, Asharq Al-Awsat learned that the Director General of General Security, Major General Hassan Shuqair, summoned, in the presence of the Director of Military Intelligence, Brigadier General Tony Kahwaji, the Hamas official in Lebanon, Ahmed Abdel Hadi, who arrived with Ayman Shana'a to his office at the directorate. The official asked him to inform the Hamas leadership of the decisions issued by the Lebanese government, based on the recommendations of the Supreme Defense Council during its session on Friday.

Major General Shuqair's notification came as a warning to Hamas, represented by Abdel Hadi, based on an order from the Defense Council against engaging in any security or military activities from Lebanese territory that would undermine sovereignty and national security. The warning also required Hamas to adhere to the residency requirements for refugees, respect Lebanese laws, and hand over the four suspects who remain at large.

Abdul Hadi responded to the warning and expressed his willingness to hand over the four wanted individuals. He was quoted as saying that Hamas adheres to the Defense Council's recommendations, government decisions, and all agreements it concludes, referring to the ceasefire agreement, and refrains from engaging in actions that would undermine Lebanese national security.

He was also quoted as saying that the rocket fire was the result of individual action and not a central decision by Hamas. He added that their project was to live with dignity in Lebanon, have the right to return, abide by Lebanese laws, and refrain from any action that would undermine the country's security and stability. He emphasized that Hamas was informed of the rocket fire after the launchers were arrested.

Asharq Al-Awsat learned that the four wanted individuals being pursued are Palestinians, some of whom are reportedly hiding in the Ain al-Hilweh and Mieh Mieh refugee camps near Sidon. Meanwhile, investigations are ongoing into three detainees: two Palestinians and a third Lebanese man with a Palestinian mother.

The sources confirmed that the decision to collect weapons had been made and was irreversible. Security forces will confront any Palestinian attempt to break out of the camps, and will raid any location suspected of being used as a missile storage facility.

She revealed that camp security would be entrusted to Lebanese security forces, and that weapons no longer served any purpose other than to fuel internal fighting and undermine the security and stability of the neighborhood, especially after they lost their role in the region with the decline of the Iranian-led axis of resistance and its retreat into the interior.

The sources believed that the exclusivity of arms to the state, with regard to Hezbollah, was not raised in the Defense Council meeting, but those who believe that not discussing it means it is no longer a priority are mistaken. They pointed out that its inclusion in the Palestinian portfolio refutes Hezbollah's pretext for retaining its weapons. They said: "There is no link between the two weapons, and what is required of the party is to engage positively with President Aoun's insistence on arms exclusivity, as long as he agreed to evacuate south of the Litani River, supported the ceasefire and the implementation of Resolution 1701, and refrained from responding. This indicates his willingness to place his weapons on the negotiating table in support of the diplomatic option adopted by the state to compel Israel to withdraw. Therefore, the party's stubbornness in clinging to its weapons is misplaced now that it has lost the balance of terror card and the rules of engagement."