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Egypt’s Coptic Church Snubs Pence Over Jerusalem Decision

The Palestinian president also refuses to meet with the vice president during an upcoming visit.

Egypt’s Coptic Church has turned down a request by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence to meet later this month over the White House’s recent policy reversal on Jerusalem. The Church “excused itself from hosting Mike Pence” during his upcoming visit to Egypt, the MENA state news agency reported Saturday. The church attributed the decision to President Trump’s move to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel “at an unsuitable time and without consideration for the feelings of millions of people,” MENA reported. Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas also said Saturday he would not meet with Pence during the vice president’s visit to the region later this month. “The United States has crossed all the red lines with the Jerusalem decision,” Majdi Khaldi, Abbas’ diplomatic adviser, told Agence France-Presse. Earlier this week, the White House said Pence “still intends” to meet with the Palestinian leader despite reports Abbas was no longer interested.