The Times of Israel reports: A highly anticipated and hotly contested Middle East peace conference kicked off in Paris Sunday morning, with French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault (pictured) saying the gathering will strive to give the sides “new chances” to reach a peace agreement.

France is hosting more than 70 countries on Sunday at the summit in an effort to revive the moribund Israeli-Palestinian peace process, which Palestinians warn would be dealt a further blow if US President-elect Donald Trump implements a campaign pledge to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

The conference is expected to condemn Israeli settlement building and urge Israel and the Palestinians “to officially restate their commitment to the two-state solution.”

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