ESHKOL RECEIVING FREEDOM OF CITY; PEOPLE PLACING FLOWERS ON MEMORIAL; CROWD AT WAILING WALL; PEOPLE DANCING.




Initials JSU/VS/JF/SS



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: PRIME MINISTER LEVI ESHKOL RECEIVED THE FREEDOM OF THE CITY OF JERUSALEM YESTERDAY (SUNDAY) WHICH, ACCORDING TO THE JEWISH LUNAR CALENDAR, WAS THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF ISRAEL'S CAPTURE OF THE JORDANIAN SECTOR IN LAST YEAR'S MIDDLES EAST WAR.

AS THOUSANDS OF ISRAELIS WENT TO THANKSGIVING SERVICES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY MR. ESHKOL SPEAKING AT AFTER THE CEREMONY IN THE CITY HALL SAID THAT ISRAEL WAS DETERMINED TO KEEP THE JERUSALEM UNITED.

A YEAR HAD PASSED SINCE THE CITY WAS REUNITED, HE SAID AND THERE WERE ALREADY CHILDREN WHO COULD NOT REMEMBER THE OTHER JERUSALEM, THE DIVIDED CITY. THEY WOULD NEVER REMEMBER IT, EXCEPT IT TALES FROM THEIR PARENTS.

THE PRIME MINISTER WAS REPRESENTED WITH THE FREEDOM OF THE CITY BY ITS MAYOR MR. TEDDY KOLLEK.

THOUGH THE GOVERNMENT HAD RESTRICTED THE SCOPE OF OFFICIAL CELEBRATIONS TO MARK THE ANNIVERSARY, MANY THOUSANDS COVERED ON THE WAILING WALL FOR A PRAYER RALLY WHILE OTHERS ATTENDED SIMILAR SERVICES AT MEMORIALS SET UP FOR ISRAEL DEAD THROUGHOUT THE CITY.