Vatican City - The Vatican says Jewish complaints about Pope Benedict XVI's commitment to dialogue with Jews are "excessive."
The Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, highlighted Benedict's record in meeting with Jews and visiting synagogues in response to the criticism.
Earlier this week, the Assembly of Italian Rabbis said it was pulling out of the Italian Catholic Church's annual celebration of Judaism, saying the pope's recent decisions were "canceling" 50 years of interfaith progress.
The chief rabbi of Venice cited the decision to restore a prayer for the conversion of Jews in Easter Week services of the old Latin Mass.
L'Osservatore said Benedict's contribution to interfaith dialogue was irrevocable.