New anti-Semitism law may strain diplomatic relations of USA with other countries

By passing a bill on monitoring anti-Semitism, the United States Congress has also ordered the State Department to start rating governments throughout the world on the treatment of Jewish citizens in their countries. The resulting report cards on anti-Semitism would be published in annual surveys of global human rights abuses. The law passed its final parliamentary hurdle on Monday, in response to what its sponsors called an alarming surge in global anti-Semitism, especially in Europe. There is little doubt that the new law will create diplomatic waves. France, Russia, Malaysia, Egypt, Canada and Australia were singled out by congressional sponsors of the law as countries that had witnessed disturbing outbreaks of discrimination against Jews in the past year.