Pope says Israelis, Palestinians must 'persevere undaunted in dialogue'

(L-R) Israeli President Shimon Peres, Pope Francis and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas are pictured in the Vatican Gardens as they pray together at the Vatican June 8, 2014. REUTERS/Max Rossi

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis told Israeli and Palestinian leaders they "must respond" to their people's yearning for peace "undaunted in dialogue" during an unprecedented prayer meeting among Jews, Christians and Muslims at the Vatican on Sunday.

The pope made his vibrant appeal to Israeli President Shimon Peres and his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas at the end of a two-hour evening service in the Vatican gardens, an encounter he hopes will relaunch the Middle East peace process.