Israel kicks of mass celebrations marking 60th anniversary (Extra)

May 7, 2008, 17:04 GMT

Jerusalem - Amid tight security, Israel Wednesday night kicked off 24 hours of celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of its foundation in May 1948.

Overseen by Knesset (parliament) Speaker Dalia Itzik, officers raised the Israeli flag from half to full mast, opening a one-hour ceremony at Jerusalem's Mount Herzl, which is to be followed by fireworks and outdoor celebrations throughout the country.

The fireworks are to light up the skies from Eilat in the south, to Nahariya in the north. Throughout the evening and night, hundreds of thousands are expected to attend performances by local artists and musicians on outdoor stages erected on central squares across Israel. Laser and light shows will also be held in a number of major cities.

On Wednesday during the day, the Israel Air Force is to give shows off the shores of Tel Aviv and elsewhere, while dozens of naval vessels are to sail from the port city of Haifa in the north to that of Ashdod in the south.

Israelis are also expected to flock to nature reserves, pick-nick sites and museums, which are open to the public without payment for the occasion.

Thousands of police, including special units, are to secure the events. Roadblocks will be set up at city entrances and beefed up forces have begun patrolling the border with the West Bank and Gaza, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

The police have raised their alert to the second-highest level, amid warnings that Arab militants might try to mar the festivities with a major attack.

Israel also sealed off the West Bank earlier this week, allowing no Palestinians through checkpoints into its territory, except in urgent humanitarian cases.

Israel declared statehood on May 14, 1948, a day before expiry of Britain's United Nations-mandate over historic Palestine. It traditionally celebrates Independence Day according to the Jewish calendar however, which this year falls almost a week before May 14.