Israel scraps Independence Day fireworks after appeals from veterans

Cities to mark occasion without usual displays out of consideration for former soldiers with PTSD

For the first time, cities across Israel have scrapped fireworks displays that normally mark the country's Independence Day out of consideration for military veterans and others with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Parties and celebrations that begin on Wednesday evening in more than a dozen cities, including Tel Aviv, will not be accompanied by the cracks and bangs of fireworks. Israeli authorities in Jerusalem have opted instead for a silent pyrotechnic show.