Afghanistan, Aug. 17 -- Pope Leo XIV has called for an immediate end to violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and urged the international community to step up efforts to advance a two-state solution for Palestine and Israel.
Speaking on Sunday after his weekly prayer in Rome, Leo said the international community should work toward a political settlement capable of securing what he described as a "just and lasting peace."
His remarks came amid reports of increasing violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank, where tensions have risen sharply in recent weeks.
In Qusra, near Nablus, Israeli settlers reportedly surrounded Palestinian homes and cut off water and electricity supplies to some residents,...