Pope Leo XIV renews call to end violence in West Bank, calls for two-state solution

VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV on Sunday (local time) renewed his appeal for an end to violence against the Palestinian civilian population in the West Bank region.

In a post on X, Pope Leo XIV further called on the international community to work toward advancing the two-state solution for a just and lasting peace.

“I renew my appeal for an end to the ongoing violence against the Palestinian civilian population in the West Bank, and I urgently call on the international community to work toward advancing the two-state solution, for a just and lasting peace,” the post stated.

I renew my appeal for an end to the ongoing violence against the Palestinian civilian population in the West Bank, and I urgently call on the international community to work toward advancing the two-state solution, for a just and lasting peace.

— Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) August 16, 2026

The Palestinian Wafa news agency has reported attacks by Israel in Gaza and the West Bank amid the influx of Israeli settlers.

Last week, Israel rejected US President Donald Trump’s 15-point Gaza peace plan and announced it will not withdraw its forces from the enclave until Hamas is genuinely disarmed, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Sunday.

“Israel rejects the 15-point document,” Netanyahu said, referring to a proposal endorsed in late July by Hamas, according to Israeli media.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting, Netanyahu emphasised that the Israeli military “will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed, and will continue to thwart threats against our forces and our citizens.”

Facing pressure from far-right coalition partners urging a fresh cabinet vote to abandon the peace plan, Netanyahu — who is locked in a competitive electoral race according to opinion polls–noted that Israel remains in discussions with Washington on the issue.

“They have ideas; some of them are acceptable to us, and some are not, and we know how to stand our ground on these matters,” he stated.

Trump’s 15-point framework outlines a phased strategy aimed at terminating the Gaza conflict, disarming armed factions, withdrawing Israeli troops, and transitioning governance of the strip to a Palestinian technocratic body, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.

Under the roadmap, heavy weaponry, arms depots, military sites, and tunnels would be placed under the committee’s control, while an international stabilisation force would be deployed to separate Israeli troops from Palestinian-administered areas.

Israeli forces would then withdraw in stages, paving the way for reconstruction and a longer-term political process toward Palestinian self-determination. (ANI)