Israel and Palestinians pledge to reduce violence

BBC reported that the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority have announced a joint commitment to take immediate steps to end a surge in violence.

The move has emerged from rare talks in Jordan, also attended by US and Egyptian officials. The meeting agreed to support confidence-building steps and “to work towards a just and lasting peace”.

As the talks took place, a Palestinian gunman shot dead two Israelis in the occupied West Bank. The Israeli military said it was pursuing the gunman and reinforcing troop numbers in the West Bank, deploying two additional battalions. It confirmed that one of those killed in the village of Hawara, near Nablus, was a soldier. Israel’s government described the killings in Hawara as “a Palestinian terror attack”.

Hours after Sunday’s shooting, a large group of settlers entered the same village and began throwing stones and setting trees and cars alight. At least 15 houses and a number of cars have been burned, according to Palestinian sources. Several families had to be evacuated from their homes. The Palestinian Red Crescent emergency service said hundreds were injured.