Brussels, 07/01/2004 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday the European Commission had a discussion on the controversial subject of anti-Semitism, which was relaunched in the Financial Times and the violent criticism made by Jewish leaders in Europe and USA of the European Commission, a polemic that has provoked the suspension of preparations for a seminar on anti-Semitism in Europe planned for February (EUROPE yesterday pp 5, 6). Following this publication, the "decision to suspend the preparation of the seminary was inevitable", judged Romano Prodi during the discussion. At the same time he noted that Cobi Benatoff, president of the European Jewish Congress, had, however, declared on Tuesday that the letter used by the Financial Times had been written before Prodi's meeting on 18 December with representatives of the European Jewish congress and the Conference of European Rabbis. A meeting which, Prodi noted, had allowed for "finalising the last details" of the seminar on anti-Semitism (a seminar for which he had personally taken the initiative following the sharp reaction provoked by the Eurobarometer survey according to which Israel was seen as a danger by the majority of Europeans to peace (and not by the publication of a study on anti-Semitism in Europe commissioner by the European Observatory on Racism and Anti-Semitism). Mr Prodi said that Benatoff had called him "a friend sincerely worried by the resurgence of anti-Semitism". He added that the European Conference of Rabbis had written to him confirming their deepest appreciation for all the support they have received from the European Commission in the fight against anti-Semitism; the Director of the World Jewish Congress, Israel Singer has expressed his willingness to immediately fly to Brussels for a meeting; the Anti-Defamation League hoped that the seminar would take place and the President of the Italian Jewish communities Amos Luzzatto criticised the letter by Messrs Bronfman and Benatoff. In these conditions, id is best to "confirm our desire to re-establish as soon as possible a fruitful co-operation with the Jewish organisations…there are signs that things are moving in the right direction", concluded Mr Prodi.