Grand imam of Egypt's Al-Azhar cancels meeting with US VP

Cairo - Al-Azhar's Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayeb cancelled a meeting with US Vice President Mike Pence after President Donald Trump's move to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Al-Azhar said on Friday.

In a statement, Al-Azhar, Egypt's highest Sunni institution, said Tayeb had reversed his previous decision to meet Pence, who is due to travel to Egypt and Israel in the second half of December.

Tayeb announced "his categorical rejection of a formal request from US Vice President Mike Pence to meet with him on December 20", Al-Azhar said.

The US embassy had submitted an official request a week ago, "and the grand imam had agreed to this, but after the unjust and unfair American decision on Jerusalem, Al-Azhar's grand imam announces his strong and decisive rejection of this meeting".