RAMALLAH, May 21, 2025 – Today, President Mahmoud Abbas of the State of Palestine met with President Joseph Aoun of the Lebanese Republic.

At the outset of the meeting, President Abbas expressed his gratitude for the supportive stance taken by Lebanon—its president, government, and people—regarding the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and their just cause in international forums.

He emphasized that the Palestinian people deeply appreciate the significant sacrifices made by Lebanon, both as a nation and by its citizens, for the Palestinian cause, which has endured since the Nakba in 1948 up to the present day.

The president affirmed that the Palestinian people in Lebanon are temporary guests until they can return to their homeland, Palestine. He clarified that the Palestinian refugee camps operate under the sovereignty of the Lebanese state and its army.

"We reaffirm our previous position that the presence of weapons in the camps, outside the framework of the state, weakens Lebanon and negatively impacts the Palestinian cause."

Additionally, he emphasized our support for Lebanon in fulfilling its international obligations and in maintaining its security, stability, and sovereignty.

He expressed great pride in the historic fraternal relations between Palestine and Lebanon, emphasizing his commitment to developing and strengthening these ties to address current challenges and serve the interests of both countries and their peoples.

During the meeting, the two presidents discussed several issues related to the Palestinian situation and the living conditions of the refugee population in Lebanon.

They also discussed ways to ensure a decent life for the refugees under Lebanese law until they can return to their homeland, which will be established as an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. 

He briefed his Lebanese counterpart on the latest developments in the Palestinian territories and the ongoing war, siege, and starvation that our people are experiencing, particularly in the Gaza Strip.

He emphasized that the current priority is to end the war against our people, ensure the flow of humanitarian aid, fully withdraw the occupation from the Gaza Strip, stop unilateral Israeli actions that violate international law, and initiate a political process with a defined timeline aimed at implementing the two-state solution. This involves establishing a Palestinian state on the territory of the State of Palestine and achieving international recognition in accordance with legitimate international resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.

The president highlighted the importance of enabling the State of Palestine to take on its civil and security responsibilities in the Gaza Strip, emphasizing that weapons should only be in the hands of the state.

He affirmed that Gaza is an integral part of the State of Palestine, which holds political and legal jurisdiction over it, just like the rest of the Palestinian territories.

He reiterated the commitment to unifying the Palestinian factions, recognizing the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. This unity should be based on the PLO's political program, international legitimacy, and the principles of one system, one law, and one legitimate weapon.

President Abbas arrived in Beirut on Wednesday evening for a three-day official visit, marking the first visit by an Arab leader since Joseph Aoun was elected President of Lebanon.

During his visit, he is scheduled to meet with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and several other senior Lebanese officials.