Ongoing differences between Egyptian Salafist parties and the Muslim Brotherhood "cannot be denied," Yasser El-Borhami, deputy head of the ultra-conservative Salafist Call, said on Thursday.

Speaking to the press during a visit to Gaza, El-Borhami added that, despite these differences, Salafist groups would "not allow the state to collapse," Egyptian state news agency MENA reported.

The Salafist Call's differences with the Muslim Brotherhood are concerned mainly with the issue of the implementation in Egypt of Islamic Law.

El-Borhami, currently in Gaza to attend a conference devoted to the ongoing 'Judaisation' of Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque, added: "All political forces have the right to express their views via peaceful protest."

He went on to voice his rejection, however, of violent protests, which, he said, "aim to destroy state institutions and fail to respect the law and constitution."

The Gaza conference, organised by the Palestinian Salafist Ibn-El Baz group, invited Egypt's Salafist Call to attend the event.

At the conference, El-Borhami stated that Jerusalem (Al-Quds) had been lost when the Arab nation was split and Islamic Law ceased to be applied. He also called on Muslims to support the Palestinians of Al-Quds against Israel both financially and politically.

Egypt is bracing for nationwide anti-government protests on 30 June, which will mark the end of the first year in office of President Mohamed Morsi, who himself hails from the Muslim Brotherhood group. 

Meeting Hamas

While in Gaza, El-Borhami, at the head of a delegation of figures from the Salafist Call, met with Ismail Haniya, prime minister of Gaza's Hamas-led government, at the latter's personal residence.  

He also met other leaders of Hamas and those of other Gaza-based Palestinian groups.