BEIRUT: The Lebanese Army’s communications and public outreach department will closely cooperate with the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee (LPDC) in a bid to improve accessibility of information, it was announced on Tuesday.

The joint “media plan,” which will see LPDC representatives acting as a sort of “channel” between the Palestinian population and the army, will focus mainly on the Nahr al-Bared camp but is eventually expected to take root in most, if not all, of the country’s 12 refugee camps. Manned information points will now be set up to allow camp residents to voice concerns and raise questions.

“Sometimes false accusations are levied against the Lebanese intelligence services in the camps and misconceptions can prevail,” said LPDC communication and policy advisor Lina Hamdan. “Understandably, the army cannot always deal with all the queries so we are going to step in and set up points on the ground where people will be able to approach us directly.”

The move follows on from discussions, held earlier this week, between Lebanese Army intelligence director Major Haytham Salman, LPDC head Maya Majzoub and popular committee envoys from Nahr al-Bared and Beddawi camps.

Following the meeting, it was agreed that the concept of a “social police” should be promoted in the camps. Such a scheme would create greater cooperation between the Palestinian sides and the Internal Security Forces and would improve accountability and transparency in security-keeping operations. It would also push security forces to adopt a more developmental role by promoting poverty and unemployment-eradicating schemes.

US Embassy delegates and senior UN Relief and Work Agency envoys were also present at the iftar meeting, held at Nahr al-Bared. “These moves were welcomed by the Palestinians who expressed support for joint efforts with the Lebanese Army,” said Hamdan. “They do not want to be marginalized or considered to be against Lebanese forces.”