'Stop Clashes': Pope Francis calls for end to violence in Jerusalem

Pope Francis on Sunday (May 9) gave out a call to end violence in Jerusalem. He urged all parties to seek solution to respect the multicultural identity of the Holy City. Pope Francis was speaking at his Sunday address in Peter's Square 
 
"Violence breeds violence, stop clashes", he told pilgrims who gathered St. Peter's Square in Rome.

On Saturday, Clashes erupted between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police outside the Old City of Jerusalem as tens of thousands of Muslim worshippers prayed at the nearby Al-Aqsa Mosque on Islam's holy night of Laylat al-Qadr.

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In his Sunday address, Pope Francis also prayed for victims of an explosion near a school in Kabul.

"We pray for the victims of the terrorist attack that took place yesterday in Kabul. An inhumane action that hit many girls as they left school. Let us pray for each of them and their families, and may God grant peace to Afghanistan," Francis said.

"There are so many Colombians here, let's pray for your homeland", the pontiff added, expressing his concern for clashes in Colombia.

Demonstrations began last week in the Andean country fuelled by outrage at a plan to raise sales taxes. That proposal was cancelled but protesters' demands now include a basic income and the withdrawal of a long-debated health reform that opponents say is too vague to correct inequalities.

(With inputs from agencies)