Yahoo – AFP,
December 9, 2017
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| Egypt's Coptic Church head Pope Tawadros II cancelled a meeting with US Vice President Mike Pence in Cairo later this month in protest at Washington's decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital, the church said (AFP Photo/ KHALED DESOUKI) |
Cairo (AFP)
- Egypt's Coptic Church head Pope Tawadros II cancelled a meeting with US Vice
President Mike Pence in Cairo later this month in protest at Washington's
decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital, the church said Saturday.
US
President Donald Trump's decision "did not take into account the feelings
of millions of Arab people," the church said in a statement, adding it
decided not to receive Pence when his visits Egypt.
"The
Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church declines to receive American Vice President
Mike Pence," it said, adding it would pray for "wisdom and to address
all issues that impact peace for the people of the Middle East".
The
decision comes a day after Egypt's top Muslim cleric Ahmed al-Tayeb, the head
of Al-Azhar, also declined to meet Pence.
Egyptian
Coptic Christians make up about 10 percent of the country's 93 million people,
and are the largest religious minority in the region.
Trump's
move to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel sparked Palestinian
protests, sporadic clashes and a call for a new intifada or uprising amid fears
of new bloodshed in the region.
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Coptic Pope
Tawadros II
|
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Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, and Pope Francis embrace
during his visit to the prestigious Sunni Muslim institution in Cairo on April 28,
2017 (AFP Photo/STRINGER)
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