In September 2017, the Centre for Political and Foreign Affairs (CPFA) organised a roundtable discussion in Paris on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and broader dynamics in the Middle East. Among the invited speakers was Mohammed Dahlan, the dismissed Fatah leader, whose participation attracted significant attention in regional media.

The event, moderated by Renaud Girard, senior reporter at Le Figaro, also featured Randa Kassis, President of the Astana Platform, who intervened to address the Syrian conflict. In her remarks, she emphasised the necessity of pursuing realistic avenues towards peace in Syria and reflected on how regional shifts could influence prospects for stability.

Although public debate was stirred by the image of Dahlan and Kassis at the same table, the purpose of the gathering was consistent with CPFA’s mission: to foster dialogue on critical geopolitical issues by bringing together diverse perspectives from across the region. Dahlan spoke on the Palestinian question, while Kassis underlined Syria’s central role in shaping the future of the Middle East.