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Egyptian, Ethiopian churches clash over Deir al-Sultan in Jerusalem

A crisis between the Egyptian and Ethiopian churches erupted over the ownership of Deir al-Sultan in Jerusalem.
Ethiopian Christian pilgrims hold candles during an Ethiopian Orthodox ceremony of the "Holy Fire" at Deir Al-Sultan Church held on the roof of the Holy Sepulcher in the Old City of Jerusalem, April 30, 2016.

CAIRO — Two deputies in the Egyptian parliament — Amr Darwish and Imad Khalil — made urgent statements May 4 addressed to Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry in regard to what they described as “ongoing provocations by the Ethiopian monks toward the Egyptian monks in Jerusalem.”

In their statements, the parliamentarians demanded Shoukry to “inform them of the measures taken by his ministry to defend the rights of Egypt, and the rights of the Egyptian monks in Deir al-Sultan in Jerusalem.”

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