with foreign governments.
The letter was circulated by Sen.
Carl Levin, D-Mich., chair of the
Armed Services Committee, and
Sen. John Warner, R-Va., the rank-
ing Republican.
"People in Congress and in the
communities are desperate to do
something," said Reva
Washington representative for the
Jewish Council for Public Affairs.
"It's created a whirlwind of activity."
Even non-binding resolutions and
congressional letters, she said, "cre-
ate a feeling of movement, a com-
fort level that we in the Jewish com-
munity are not alone and that our
positions are being heard and sup-
ported. That's very important at a
time like this."
Also this week, the Anti-
Defamation League formally asked
the U.S. Commission for
International Religious Freedom to
investigate and speak out about the
surge in anti-Semitism.
The commission was created in
1998, with the support of Jewish
groups such as the ADL; originally,
backers expected it would focus
heavily on persecution against
Christians in Sudan, China and
other countries.
But now, unexpectedly, the ADL is
seeking to use the commission's
stature as an arm of the U.S. govern-
ment to examine the alarming rise in
anti-Semitism around the world.
"What we are witnessing today is
something, which I -profess to you, I
never thought I would witness again
in my lifetime," said ADL Director
Abraham Foxman in the letter. "The
insidious way we have seen the con-
flict between Israelis and
Palestinians used by anti-Semites —
and some government leaders — as
a justification for anti-Jewish vio-
lence sends a dangerous signal that
religious minorities can be legiti-
mately targeted as an outlet for
political frustration. "
Foxman urged the commission to
use the full range of available tools
to expose and counter the new wave
of anti-Semitism."
Also this week, the Jewish
Community Council of
Metropolitan Washington called off
a planned Tuesday demonstration in
front of the French Embassy after
European Jewish groups and Israeli
officials expressed concern that a
public demonstration just before
Sunday's runoff election might
boost the vote for ultra-nationalist
Jean-Marie Le Pen. ❑

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