U.S., U.N. plead for Israel and Palestine to cease retributive violence

WASHINGTON, July 2 (UPI) -- The United States and the United Nations issued condemnations Wednesday for the abduction and murder of a 17-year-old Palestinian teenager.

Less than one day after tens of thousands of Israelis mourned at the funerals of murdered Israeli teens Naftali Fraenkel, Eyal Yifrach and Gilad Shaer, police found the body of Palestinian teenager Muhammed Hussein Abu Khdeir after receiving a call about a kidnapping.

Secretary of State John Kerry echoed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's appeal for all sides '"not to take the law into their own hands."'

"Acts of vengeance," Kerry cautioned, "only destabilize an already explosive and emotional situation."

Kerry noted that Abu Khdeir's abduction and murder is under investigation and said "We look to both the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority to take all necessary steps to prevent acts of violence and bring their perpetrators to justice."

At the U.N., Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called "on all parties to ensure that tensions do not escalate further, leading to more loss of life."