Paris Peace Conference Sparks Palestinian Divisions and BDS Boycott Amid U.S. Pressure
As France and Saudi Arabia prepare to host a global summit on the two-state solution, Palestinian authorities express concerns, while civil society leaders denounce the event as normalization under the guise of peace.
Watan-A Palestinian source stated that the Palestinian Authority is not entirely satisfied with certain aspects of the upcoming Paris Peace Conference, organized by the Paris Peace Forum, scheduled for Friday. However, the dissatisfaction has not led to a complete boycott.
According to the source, who requested anonymity, the discomfort stems from the participation of both Israeli and Palestinian opposition figures, giving the event the appearance of being an anti-government conference on both sides, especially with support from an Arab country.
The Paris meeting is set to be held on June 13, just days before the larger international conference at the United Nations in New York, focused on advancing the two-state solution.
The Paris conference is seen as an attempt to break the political deadlock in the Palestinian cause and serve as a preparatory step for the New York summit on June 17. It follows a series of four preparatory workshops, the latest held in Rabat in May, with the final one set in Paris.
Controversy Over UAE Funding
Sources revealed that the UAE had offered financial support for the Paris conference, proposing to fund around 500 participants from both Palestinian and Israeli sides. However, Palestinian parties declined the offer, resulting in the funds being redirected to official French entities.
This funding shift reportedly led to invitations being extended to controversial figures like former Fatah member Nasser al-Qudwa, now based in Paris, and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
According to the Paris Peace Forum website, the conference aims to bring together civil society representatives—primarily Palestinians and Israelis—committed to a shared future based on mutual recognition, peace, and security for all.
Palestinian Debate and Strategic Context
Economist and Palestinian political analyst Samir Hulileh stated that while some aspects of the Paris conference are controversial, the broader diplomatic context is significant. He emphasized Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh’s recent remarks about the importance of the upcoming New York summit and President Abbas’s letters to French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi leaders outlining reform plans and readiness for statehood.
Hulileh believes the Palestinian leadership is banking on French and Saudi diplomatic efforts post-October 7 to reinitiate political negotiations, particularly since Saudi normalization with Israel is conditional on progress toward a two-state solution.
Hulileh said the Paris conference aims to build public and civil society support for the two-state solution and to promote dialogue between Palestinian and Israeli stakeholders, including the private sector. However, the inclusion of political and military figures like Olmert and al-Qudwa has sparked criticism and made the event appear partisan.
He confirmed that the Palestinian side requested balanced representation and prior agreement on the final statement. These conditions were reportedly met, and Hulileh emphasized that, in principle, the event serves the Palestinian cause and supports the two-state solution.
He acknowledged France’s wavering position on Palestinian recognition but stressed the broader goal is to build international momentum for statehood and end the Israeli occupation.
BDS Movement Calls for Boycott
In sharp contrast, the Palestinian National Committee for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS)—the largest coalition of Palestinian civil society—called for a total boycott of the Paris conference.
In its statement, BDS described the conference as a normalization attempt that violates Palestinian consensus since 2007. It accused France of attempting to rehabilitate Israel’s apartheid regime amid escalating global isolation.
BDS emphasized that the Paris Forum’s stated goals ignore Palestinians’ inalienable rights under international law, particularly the right of return and self-determination, and criticized the event’s funding by Amazon, Microsoft, and the UAE Embassy in Paris.
The statement noted that both tech giants provide AI and cloud services that help Israel intensify its military operations in Gaza, and denounced the UAE as a “repressive regime” complicit in regional war crimes and strategic ally of Israel.
BDS concluded that participating in such events offers a diplomatic cover for Israel’s genocide in Gaza and ethnic cleansing in the West Bank, and violates the anti-normalization standards upheld by the vast majority of Palestinian society.
U.S. Pressure to Undermine the New York Summit
A diplomatic cable, revealed by Reuters, showed that the Trump administration urged governments to boycott the UN-hosted summit in New York scheduled for June 17, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France. The cable warned that any state taking “anti-Israel steps” at the conference may face U.S. diplomatic consequences.
French President Emmanuel Macron had previously said in April that France may recognize the State of Palestine at the upcoming UN conference.
The New York summit will bring together 100–150 nations to address key priorities: recognition of Palestinian statehood, mutual recognition, security guarantees for both sides, full disarmament of Hamas, reform of the Palestinian Authority, and a post-war governance framework for Gaza that excludes Hamas.
Final Note
While Palestinian officials plan to attend the New York summit, internal Palestinian debate continues over participation in the Paris event. Some view it as a pragmatic step forward, while others see it as a threat to national unity and rights. The path ahead remains deeply contested.
