France holds Middle East peace summit

A major international conference to try to kick-start peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians is being held in the French capital, Paris, the BBC reports.

Delegates from 70 nations are expected to reaffirm support for a two-state solution to the decades-old conflict.

Palestinians have welcomed the meeting but Israel - which is not attending - says the conference is loaded against it.

The last round of direct peace talks collapsed amid acrimony in April 2014.

Israel and the Palestinians have been invited to hear the conclusions of the meeting, but not to participate in the summit itself.

Reports say a draft statement for the meeting calls on Israel and the Palestinians "to officially restate their commitment to the two-state solution" and avoid taking "unilateral steps that prejudge the outcome of final status negotiations".

A "two-state solution" of a Palestinian country alongside Israel has long been endorsed by both sides but there are sharply divergent visions as to the type of state which should emerge.

Israel rejects international involvement in the peace process, saying a settlement can only come through direct talks.