No More Hamas
Nida Al Watan, Lebanon, April 24
The decision has been made, and there is no turning back: Hamas will no longer have a foothold in Lebanon.
The so-called “Hamasland,” which had morphed into a military and security entity operating parallel to the state within certain Palestinian camps, is being systematically dismantled and will no longer exist on Lebanon’s security map.
This decision, taken at the highest political and security levels, is being steadily implemented with the full support of the Lebanese Army, which has already begun tearing down the security and military infrastructure established by Hamas and other factions directly backed by Hezbollah.
Hamas’ military apparatus in Lebanon did not emerge spontaneously; it was deliberately crafted as a reserve tool, cloaked under the Palestinian flag, and used to pursue agendas that stretch far beyond the Palestinian cause, chiefly in service of Tehran’s regional ambitions.
This model is no longer tolerable, neither within Lebanon nor among the broader international community, and the protective cover once provided by its “official sponsor” is rapidly eroding, setting the stage for an inevitable confrontation.
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What further empowers the Lebanese state to proceed down this path is the full coordination with the Palestinian National Authority, whose military and political arm, Fatah, has shown transparent and unconditional cooperation. In fact, it is expected to take a pivotal step by placing its weapons under the authority of the Lebanese state, possibly even ahead of President Mahmoud Abbas’ forthcoming visit to Beirut.
The message is unequivocal: there will be no place for mercenary weapons, nor for any illegitimate arms using the refugee camps as springboards for external agendas.
The era of Qusaya and Naameh—areas that once hosted armed factions aligned with the so-called axis of resistance—is drawing to a close.
This transformation is not merely a security shift; it marks a profound political realignment, dovetailing with a broader regional moment that seeks to reassert the primacy and dignity of the Lebanese state over the existence of armed fiefdoms.
High-level consultations are ongoing among the Lebanese authorities, the Palestinian leadership, and other factions, aiming to eradicate all pockets of illegal weaponry, particularly in Ain al-Hilweh and other camps.
The goal extends beyond mere disarmament to dismantling the culture of security chaos and ensuring that the Palestinian cause is no longer exploited as a facade for foreign agendas.
Today, the Lebanese state is advancing with determination, and the tide of illegal arms is receding. The “Hamasland” experiment in Lebanon will not be resurrected, and the era of investing in chaos and paramilitary armament has ended.
There will be no room to revive such experiences under any pretext or protective shield. The next phase will be characterized by the exclusive legitimacy of state authority, and from now on, there will be no “Hamas” or any other form of ministate within the Lebanese state.
Assaad Bechara (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)
