Vatican decries killings of three young Israelis

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“The Holy See Press Office has just made the following declaration at 9:34 p.m. Rome time:

The news of the killing of three young Israelis who had disappeared is terrible and dramatic. The assassination of innocent persons is always despicable and unacceptable, and a very serious obstacle to that peace to which we must continue untiringly to commit ourselves and for which we must pray. Violence calls for more violence and feeds the mortal circle of hatred.  Pope Francis unites himself to the indescribable pain of the families stricken by this homicidal violence and to the pain of all people stricken by the consequences of hatred, and asks God to inspire in all thoughts of compassion and peace.

“[The three teens — Eyal Yifrach, 19; Gilad Shaar, 16; and Naftali Frenkel, a 16-year-old dual U.S.-Israeli citizen — disappeared late June 12 or early June 13 from the Jewish settlement of Gush Etzion in the West Bank, according to the Israeli military.]”