. . . Of the fifteen worst human rights offenders in the world, only five were criticized by the churches during the four year period studied. Regions like the Middle East (apart from Israel) and Central Asia (former Soviet republics) were the most notable areas ignored by the churches in their human rights advocacy. Partly free nations, where church influence might be most effective in widening the limited civic space already open to indigenous Christians and other citizens, received the least attention.

Jewish interfaith leaders avoided confronting long-time allies about the brewing divestment storm:

Jewish leaders say recent moves by major Christian groups to explore divestment against Israel have been a long time coming � and that unchecked, they could lead to an open breach that could leave Jewish community here isolated and cut off from its traditional domestic coalition partners.

�Speaking for myself and as a community relations professional, there are many of my colleagues who believe the line has been crossed, and that we should cut off dialogue with these groups,� said Hannah Rosenthal, executive director of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. That would be catastrophic, she said. �If we do that, we end up totally isolated,� she said. �We just empower those who want us to be marginalized. We disrupt the relationships that are very important for us, domestically.�

. . . �It�s an endemic problem, but we�ve had a tacit agreement [with the Christians] not to talk about it in any depth over the years,� said Rabbi Gary Bretton-Granatoor, interreligious affairs director for the Anti-Defamation League. �That�s allowed all these wonderful coalitions to develop over the past 40 years on civil rights issues, women�s issues, and church-state issues, all the while just not paying attention to differences over Israel.�

On another topic, guess who opposes Sen. Lantos' bill to establish an office to monitor antisemitism?

the State Department sent Lantos a three-page memo vowing to oppose the bill on grounds that antisemitism is already monitored and that giving it extra attention would be seen as "favoritism."
Lantos said he intends to raise the matter personally with Secretary of State Colin Powell as soon as possible. "Not even the State Department denies there is a tremendous upsurge in antisemitism in Europe and in other parts of the world," Lantos said, noting Powell's speech in April at the conference on antisemitism in Berlin organized by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. "The notion that all groups need to be treated equally in this context is somewhat absurd. I'm unaware of an upsurge of anti-Episcopalian sentiment in the world. This is typical State Department bureaucratic nonsense, and I intend to treat it as such... in my conversation with Colin Powell."

And here's one more international "interfaith" meeting at which Jews are dissed and Arab Muslims don't show up.

Nothing to see, move along.

To pick you up after that depressing crap, here is an old story, but very powerful: A first-hand account of the president's meeting with 16 rabbis, a year ago.

UPDATE: Check out this statement from a Presbyterian leader in Pittsburgh. Go read it now. (The Presbyterian Church's national office in Louisville, Ky. has disavowed the comment.)

UPDATE: The latest from John Kerry's very truly sought after ally France.