Cairo: Egypt’s Coptic Pope of the Orthodox Church Tawadros II has cancelled a meeting with US Vice-President Mike Pence in protest against Washington’s recognition of Occupied Jerusalem as the Israeli regime’s capital, the church said on Saturday.
“In view of the US administration’s decision regarding [occupied] Jerusalem made at an improper time and without consideration to feelings of millions of Arab people, the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church apologises for not receiving Mr Mike Pence during his coming visit,” the church added in a statement.
“We pray so that everyone will have wisdom in tackling issues that affect peace among the Middle East peoples.”
Christians make up around 10 per cent of Egypt’s 94 million people.
The Coptic pontiff’s move comes a day after Shaikh Ahmad Al Tayyab, the grand Imam of Al Azhar — Egypt’s influential Islamic seat of learning — announced he had cancelled a meeting with Pence for the same reason.
“Al Azhar cannot sit with those who falsify history, usurp people’s rights and attack their sanctuaries,” Shaikh Al Tayyab said in a statement on Friday.
Pence is expected to visit Egypt on December 20 as part of a Middle East trip aimed at touting Trump’s decision to relocate the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Occupied Jerusalem.
Trump’s decision has triggered angry street protests and a chorus of condemnations across the Muslim world.
