A two-day academic conference on Europe-Palestine relations that ended on Friday has triggered a fierce debate on freedom of speech, with former senior European officials describing to The National the direct intervention by a cabinet member as a mistake.

The event was initially supposed to take place at France's most prestigious research venues, the College de France, but it was cancelled last week. The College de France pointed to an article published in magazine Le Point that echoed criticism by anonymous researchers and the International League against Racism and anti-Semitism, a French NGO.

The event was ultimately held in the offices of one of the organisers.

"I think it was a big error from the side of the French government to forbid this event," said former EU foreign affairs chief, Josep Borrell. "In Spain, the Minister of Universities could never do something like this to say, 'I don't like this event, please don't do it'."

Former EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell. EPA

Denis Bauchard, an former French ambassador to Jordan and Canada who was involved in organising the conference, highlighted deep divisions in France over Palestine.

"It is addressed by some in an almost hysterical and very passionate way," he said.

There are regular controversies over Israel and Palestine in France, including fistfights at a recent concert given by the Israel philharmonic, but the cancellation of a scienti