BAIT-UL-MOQADDAS -- The Israeli philharmonic orchestra has had to cancel a planned tour of the United States because no U.S. insurance company is prepared to cover the risk of a possible attack, the daily ***Yediot Aharonot*** reported Monday.

"Last Friday, the American organizer of the tour contacted us and informed us that to his great regret he must cancel it as no insurance company wanted to take the risk of providing cover for the concerts," the Director of the orchestra, Avi Shoshani, told the newspaper.

The orchestra was to have left on August 23 for a week-long tour that would have included stops in Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco, AFP said.

The tour had been planned for the last year, the paper said.