Egypt: Coptic pope cancels Pence meeting over Jerusalem

The chief of Egypt’s Coptic Church has cancelled an upcoming meeting with US Vice President Mike Pence, protesting in opposition to Washington’s switch to recount Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

The switch by Pope Tawadros II on Saturday came a day after Palestinian leaders also acknowledged that Pence, who is scheduled to remark about with the set up later this month, became once not welcome in the occupied territories.

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump formally recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and acknowledged he would delivery the route of of transferring its embassy there from Tel Aviv.

The controversial resolution sparked madden and protests at some stage in the occupied Palestinian territories and a bunch of Muslim nations. It also drew neatly-liked condemnation from world leaders.

In an announcement, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt acknowledged it « excused itself from recordsdata superhighway hosting » Pence when he visits the Egyptian capital of Cairo on December 20.

It acknowledged Trump’s resolution « did not protect in suggestions the emotions of millions of Arab folks ».

On Friday, the large imam of Cairo’s Al-Azhar Mosque also acknowledged that he would not meet Pence, basically based totally on Egyptian media.

« How can I take a seat with those that granted what they attain not bear to those that attain not deserve it? » acknowledged Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb.

Within the midst of his time out to the set up, Pence became once anticipated to also remark about with Israel with a quit in the Palestinian metropolis of Bethlehem.