Pope urges Israelis and Palestinians to seek dialogue after surge in violence

VATICAN CITY, Nov 27 (Reuters) – Pope Francis on Sunday urged the Israeli and Palestinian authorities to step up their efforts to engage in dialogue following the recent deadly bombings in Jerusalem and clashes in the occupied West Bank.

Speaking to tens of thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square for his Sunday blessing, Francis said violence would “kill the future” for both of them.

Two bombs went off at bus stops on the outskirts of Jerusalem on Wednesday, killing a 16-year-old boy and injuring at least 14 people in what appeared to be an attack by Palestinian militants. A 50-year-old man died of his injuries on Saturday.

Late Tuesday night, a 16-year-old Palestinian boy was shot dead by Israeli forces during clashes in the Israeli-held West Bank city of Nablus.

Mentioning both incidents, the pope called the blasts in Jerusalem “abhorrent” and said he was concerned about the increase in violence in recent months.

“Violence kills the future, disrupts the lives of the youngest and undermines hope for peace. Let’s pray for these young people who have died and for their families, especially their mothers,” he said.

“I hope that the Israeli and Palestinian authorities will take the search for dialogue more seriously and build mutual trust, without which there will never be a solution for peace in the Holy Land,” he said.