Pope Francis called for peace in Jerusalem today, Sunday, Mary 9, amid continuing battles in the streets of the city.

“With particular concern, I am following the events that are happening in Jerusalem. I pray that it may be a place of encounter and not of violent clashes, a place of prayer and peace,” the Holy Father said. “I invite everyone to seek shared solutions so that the multireligious and multicultural identity of the Holy City is respected and brotherhood prevails. Violence begets violence. Enough with the clashes.”

In a statement issued Friday, the United States State Department expressed its concern about the situation in Jerusalem, saying in part:

The United States is extremely concerned about ongoing confrontations in Jerusalem, including on the Haram al-Sharif / Temple Mount and in Sheikh Jarrah, which have reportedly resulted in scores of injured people.

There is no excuse for violence, but such bloodshed is especially disturbing now, coming as it does on the last days of Ramadan. This includes Friday’s attack on Israeli soldiers and reciprocal ‘price tag’ attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank, which we condemn in no uncertain terms.

We call on Israeli and Palestinian officials to act decisively to deescalate tensions and bring a halt to the violence. It is absolutely critical that all sides exercise restraint, refrain from provocative actions and rhetoric, and preserve the historic status quo on the Haram al-Sharif / Temple Mount – in word and in practice. Leaders across the spectrum must denounce all violent acts. Security services must ensure the safety of all of Jerusalem’s residents and hold all perpetrators to account.

In a world facing outbreaks of violence in many areas, the Pope also prayed for the victims of the Saturday attack in Kabul and ongoing tensions in Colombia:

“And let us also pray for the victims of the terrorist attack that took place yesterday in Kabul: an inhumane action that struck so many girls as they were leaving school. Let us pray for each one of them and for their families. And may God give peace to Afghanistan.

“In addition, I would like to express my concern for the tensions and violent clashes in Colombia, which have caused deaths and injuries. There are many Colombians here; let us pray for your homeland.”