The Chief Rabbi of Ireland has declined an invitation to attend an inter-denominational press conference today against a war on Iraq.
Members of the Church of Ireland, the Islamic community and the Catholic Conference of Religious in Ireland are among the participants at the event, organised by an umbrella organisation called the NGO Peace Alliance.
The alliance of non-governmental organisations was set up in the wake of the September 11th attacks. The event's organiser, Mr Brendan Butler, said Chief Rabbi Yaakov Pearlman, or another representative from the Jewish faith, had been invited to attend.
Mr Butler described the absence of a representative of the Jewish community as "a significant omission".
"We are disappointed because we have all the religious traditions, and even within the Christian community we have all the different communities, and then we have the Islamic representative."
Mr Butler said he had made it clear to the Chief Rabbi's office that today's event was in opposition to any future US strikes against Iraq.
Rabbi Pearlman last night confirmed he would not be attending this morning's event in Buswell's Hotel, Dublin.
He said: "If at all possible I like to stay clear of politics and I like to restrict my functions to religious and spiritual matters.
"I know if you stretch it a little, bit I guess the situation with Iraq can encompass religious and spiritual connotations, but it's generally politics. I usually leave that for the Israeli embassy."
Asked whether his absence from today's event indicated that he was in favour of a war with Iraq, Rabbi Pearlman said: "It should not really be taken that way. I do have my opinions concerning that but I really would like to stay clear of it." He added that he did not think there should be "any implication that I favour one way as opposed to another".
According to Mr Butler, those due to attend today's press conference include a representative from Clonskeagh Mosque in Dublin; the Rev Pat Hannon, professor of moral theology at Maynooth College in Kildare; Sr Maureen O'Connell, representing the Conference of Religious of Ireland; and the ex-moderator of the Presbyterian Church, the Rev Terence McCaughey.
Mr Butler said the Church of Ireland Dean of Christ Church, the Very Rev John Patterson, and the Archdeacon of Dublin, Dr Gordon Linney, had accepted an invitation but may not be able to attend due to other commitments.