SIDON, Lebanon: Fatah Revolutionary Council member Khaled Aref called Tuesday on Palestinian factions to organize and control their arms in coordination with the Lebanese Army and security authorities, describing such a move as a way to “ensure stability” in the country’s refugee camps.

“There should be an organization of Palestinian arms because it is in the interest of Palestinians and Lebanese,” Aref said during a meeting with Sidon MP Bahia Hariri.

He said that a senior Palestinian official has already begun to implement the Palestinian state’s decision to control Palestinian arms in coordination with the Lebanese state.

“During the latest visit by one of the Palestinian officials [Izam al-Ahmad] from Ramallah, he gave instructions to Palestinian officials in Lebanon to start the implementation of organizing arms within the camps,” Aref told reporters, and also called on those who object to Abbas’ vision to work directly with the Lebanese state institutions themselves.

“If some factions have a different vision than that of Abbas, they should cooperate with the relevant Lebanese state institution … because the official Palestinian stance calls for organizing and controlling arms in Lebanon,” said Aref.

“This is what Abbas said in his new Palestinian vision … this is how we can ensure stability in the camps,” he added.

In a speech that drew criticism from some armed Palestinian factions in August, Abbas said that there is no longer a need for Palestinian arms in the country as the Lebanese government provides protection for the Palestinian refugees.

“There is no need for Palestinian arms [in Lebanon] because we are protected by the Lebanese government and the Lebanese Army,” said Abbas, after he inaugurated the Palestinian Embassy in Beirut.

Palestinian arms should be brought under the control of one national umbrella group, “under the supervision of the Palestine Liberation Organization or under a new faction that we are working to establish would be discussed,” Aref added.

Some of the country’s 12 Palestinian refugee camps have seen sporadic violence between rival Palestinian factions in the past few years, leading to dozens of deaths and spreading fear among camp residents.

In an incident Sunday, a member of the Islamist group Jund al-Sham opened fire on a Fatah official. Palestinian sources told The Daily Star that a Jund al-Sham member identified as Bilal Badr shot Fatah member Ahmad al-Moghrabi in his foot.

Other security sources told The Daily Star that there is an agreement among rival factions in the camp to turn in perpetrators of violence to the Lebanese Internal Security Forces to stand trial.

“There is consensus in Ain al-Hilweh, especially among the Islamic [factions], to hand in any accused, or perpetrator, of violence to the Lebanese authorities,” said the source, adding that some are already standing trial.

Aref also said that Abbas will remain committed to full state membership for Palestine in the United Nations, a request he formally submitted in September.

“Despite all the pressure on Abbas to give up Palestine’s membership in the U.N., Abbas will continue to work toward winning the membership, which is a natural Palestinian right,” said Aref.

The U.N. Security Council is set to meet later this month to decide whether to hold a formal vote on Abbas’ application to the U.N.

Palestine won a crucial vote to enter UNESCO as a full member last week.

Although a majority of 107 countries voted in favor of Palestine’s membership in UNESCO, the United States announced the withdrawal of its funding hours after the vote.

Aref voiced hope that Palestine’s membership in UNESCO would be a starting point toward becoming a full member state at the U.N.

He also said that Palestinian officials are now working to establish a national committee to frame a new political and strategic vision following the wave of popular pro-democracy revolutions in the Arab world.

“We have chosen the road to peace, we have chosen coexistence on the basis of two states … but we do not accept occupation anymore,” said Aref, calling on the international community and U.S. President Barack Obama to fulfill their promises for peace in the region.