Israel decided today to change the route of its Independence Day parade on April 20–the target of a hostile Security Council resolution–in a way to assure that the entire length of the new route will be hidden from Jordan-held Old Jerusalem.
The switch in the route was viewed as both a security and a political move. The Arab press has been publishing threats of efforts to prevent the parade, with the Cairo press particularly active in threatening violence.
The original route would have overlooked the Old City. The new route will be the same as that used in 1958, passing through the center of the city and passing by the building of Israel’s Parliament and the Jewish Agency buildings.
The Security Council earlier this week had voted a resolution condemning the parade plans and Israel officials said they would go ahead on their repeated assurance that no weapons in the parade would have ammunition and that it was planned merely as a festive event.
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