STREET SCENES; BANNERS ON BUILDINGS; DECORATIONS; ISRAELI SOLDIERS; MORE DECORATIONS; LOUDSPEAKERS ERECTED.




Initials GS/VS/AS/ES



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: ISRAEL IS GOING AHEAD WITH ITS PLANS FOR A BIG 20TH ANNIVERSARY INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE ON THURSDAY, DESPITE A UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION CALLING FOR ITS CANCELLATION. ISRAEL PLANS TO USE CAPTURED ARAB MILITARY EQUIPMENT IN THE PARADE, THROUGH THE STREETS OF JERUSALEM.

HOUSES IN JERUSALEM HAVE BEEN DECKED OUT WITH BUNTING AND FLAGS, AND SPECIAL LIGHTING HAS BEEN INSTALLED ALONG THE PARADE ROUTE. THE EQUIPMENT TO BE USED IN THE PROCESSION IS READY AND WAITING AT VARIOUS POINTS AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN BUSY WITH DECORATIONS HAVE BEEN UNDERGOING REHEARSALS.

MORE THAN A HALF MILLION PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO CONVERGE ON THE ROUTE, AND IT IS REPORTED THAT THIS YEAR'S PARADE WILL NOT ONLY BE THE LONGEST BUT THE BIGGEST ON RECORD. THERE WILL BE 250 AIRCRAFT IN A FLY-PAST WHILE ON THE GROUND THERE WILL BE 112 TANKS, 88 ARMOURED CARS AND 232 OTHER VEHICLES.

AMONG THE CAPTURED MILITARY EQUIPMENT TO BE USED ARE RUSSIAN-BUILT STALIN III'S AND EIGHT T-55'S, AS WELL AS LONG TOMS AND ROCKET-LAUNCHING KATYUSHAS OF WORLD WAR TWO FAME. TO CONTROL THE CROWDS DURING THE PROCESSION, ABOUT 2000 POLICEMEN WITH A FLEET OF 180 MOBILISED UNITS WILL WORK THROUGHOUT THE ROUTE.

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS, U THANT, HAD REPORTED TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL THAT HE FEARED THE PARADE WOULD AGGRAVATE TENSIONS IN THE AREA. THE ISRAELI AMBASSADOR, YOSEF TEKOAH, REJECTED THE COUNCIL'S RESOLUTION, WHICH HE SAID CONCERNED A MATTER UNDER HIS GOVERNMENT'S DOMESTIC JURISDICTION, AND THE PARADE WOULD GO ON.