Palestinian President won't meet Pence over Trump's Jerusalem move

Jerusalem [Israel], December 10 (ANI): Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will not meet United States Vice President Mike Pence later this month after U.S. President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Pence was scheduled to meet Abbas later this month as a part of his Middle East tour.

"There will not be a meeting with Pence. The matter is bigger than a mere meeting because the United States, in its decisions on Jerusalem, crossed red lines," The Jerusalem Post quoted Majdi al-Khalidi, Abbas's diplomatic affairs adviser, as saying to Palestinian Authority radio.

However, neither the Palestinian President nor the U.S. Vice President has confirmed the information so far.

Earlier, Egypt's Coptic Church head Pope Tawadros II, according to Turkish news agency, Anadolu Agency, had refused to meet Pence over the same row.

They were scheduled to meet on December 20 in Cairo.

The United States has become the first country in the world to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel following Trumps' decision.

In line with this announcement, the US is also shifting its embassy from Tel Aviv to the holy city, again becoming the first country to take such a step.

With this step, Trump has fulfilled one of its campaign promises and reversed decades-long US policy on this matter.

The United States' decision has sparked widespread furore in the Arab world and condemnation from various nations. (ANI)