President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Saturday at a joint press conference with the President of European Council, Donald Tusk that Egypt recognizes EU as an essential partner in various fields, Al-Masry Al-Youm reported. Al-Sisi pointed out that Egypt is well aware of the weight and importance of the EU as an economic and political pillar of the international community. He said, "Unfortunate events experienced by Al-Aqsa holy mosque are serious violations of Islamic sanctity, which the international community must be aware of its attachment to the Muslim masses," "This could result in an unjustified escalation, which could have serious consequences on peace and stability not only for the Palestinian and Israeli people, but also for the region and the world," al-Sisi added. The president explained, "The daily incidents at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem are a breach of the status quo. The escalating violence is a failure of the government of Israel, which is shirking its responsibility under the international law to protect holy places." He revealed that the meeting tackled several important topics, such as coordinating the international efforts to face the Syrian and Libyan crises, including the flow of refugees to Europe.
