Egypt still publicly supports Palestine’s claim to Jerusalem: President Abdel Fattah El Sisi told US Vice President Mike Pence during a meeting in Cairo yesterday that Egypt’s position on Palestine’s claim to Jerusalem is “unyielding,” according to an Ittihadiya statement (pdf). El Sisi stressed that Cairo is still backing a two-state solution.

The best readout on the meeting is from Reuters, which notes that:

• Pence “heard out” El Sisi on Jerusalem, and positioned the dispute over the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital as a “disagreement between friends”;
• The US will support a two-state solution if Israel and Palestine do;
• Pence said the US “stands shoulder to shoulder with you in Egypt in the fight against terrorism”;
• Ties between the two countries “had never been stronger” after a period of “drifting apart,” Reuters quoted the veep as saying;
• Pence “pressed El Sisi about two Americans who have been imprisoned in Egypt since 2013, as well as for reform of Egypt’s restrictive laws on non-governmental organizations.” The daughter of the two, Ola and Hossam Khalaf, had penned an open letter to Pence urging him to free her parents.

The Associated Press also has a solid wrap-up — and notes that it took Pence’s personal intervention before journalists accompanying the vice president were allowed in to cover a joint appearance with El Sisi.

Pressure from rights groups: Rights organizations had also called on the VP to condemn Egypt’s position towards its LGBT community and to encourage adopting strategies that would end discrimination against LGBT and Christian citizens, Human Rights First says.