Israel and Palestinians vow to curb violence as holiday season nears

Israeli soldiers are deployed at the scene where officials say a Palestinian gunman opened fire at an Israeli vehicle, wounding two people, in the West Bank town of Hawara, Sunday, March 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)

Israel and the Palestinians have pledged to take steps to lower tensions ahead of a sensitive holiday season, including a partial freeze on Israeli settlement activity and an agreement to work together to “curb and counter violence”.

But a Palestinian shooting attack that wounded two Israelis in the occupied West Bank underscored the work that lies ahead as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan approaches this week.