Source: Los Angeles Times

On July 10, 1999, the Los Angeles Times reported that many Jewish and Christian leaders have joined Muslims in defending Al-Marayati's record on terrorism. Rabbi Leonard I. Beerman, founding rabbi of Leo Baeck Temple in Los Angeles, stated: "This assault on Salam Al-Marayati by a consortium of Jewish organizations is for me, as a rabbi and as a Jew, an appalling display of ignorance, mindlessness and arrogance." Gene Lichtenstein, editor in chief of the Jewish Journal, has come to Al-Marayati's defense, along with Rep. David Bonior (D-Mich), who called Al-Marayati "a person of great integrity." Many point to Al-Marayati as a leader in interfaith dialogue and note that he signed a 1996 statement condemning the terrorist bombing that killed 62 people in Israel and he also condemned the bombing of two U.S. embassies in Africa.