Brussels, 12/05/2009 (Agence Europe) - In a press release published on 11 May, the Conference of European Rabbis (CER) and the World Jewish Congress (WJC) said that no rabbis or Jewish leaders took part in the meeting of religious leaders co-hosted by the Presidents of the European Commission and European Parliament. They stayed away in protest at the invitation delivered to Islamist organisations and individuals closely linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. The CER and WJC felt that it was inappropriate that organisations such as the Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe, a group they accuse of anti-Semitism, should be present at such meetings. “The Conference of European Rabbis regrets that the European institutions have chosen to patronise extremists who are not representative of the vast majority of Europe's Muslim citizens who support dialogue and the democratic values of the European Union,” the press release states. (O.J./transl.rt)