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PARIS (Reuters) - France on Sunday urged Middle Eastern countries to stop retail companies from boycotting French products.

The foreign affairs ministry said in a statement that in recent days there had been calls to boycott French products, notably food products, in several Middle Eastern countries as well as calls for demonstrations against France over the publication of satirical cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad.

“These calls for boycott are baseless and should stop immediately, as well as all attacks against our country, which are being pushed by a radical minority,” the statement said.



Freedom of speech, france.

You're free to publish the cartoons.

People are free to boycott you.

Every choice has a consequence, Macron should have known better than to appease the right wing neonazis.

I also find it funny that France is upset at Erdogan making fun of Macron. The amount of hypocrisy is so obvious here.
 
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Some shops in Kuwait had stripped their shelves of French-made products by Sunday

France has urged Middle Eastern countries to end calls for a boycott of its goods in protest at President Emmanuel Macron's defence of the right to show cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.

The French foreign ministry said the "baseless" calls for a boycott were being "pushed by a radical minority".

French products have been removed from some shops in Kuwait, Jordan and Qatar.

Meanwhile, protests have been seen in Libya, Syria and the Gaza Strip.

The backlash stems from comments made by Mr Macron after the gruesome murder of a French teacher who showed cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in class.

The president said the teacher, Samuel Paty, "was killed because Islamists want our future", but France would "not give up our cartoons".

Beheading of teacher deepens divisions in France
French anger over Turkey's 'rude' Macron comments
Depictions of the Prophet Muhammad can cause serious offence to Muslims because Islamic tradition explicitly forbids images of Muhammad and Allah (God).

But state secularism - or laïcité - is central to France's national identity. Curbing freedom of expression to protect the feelings of one particular community, the state says, undermines unity.

On Sunday, Mr Macron doubled down on his defence of French values in a tweet that read: "We will not give in, ever."


Political leaders in Turkey and Pakistan have rounded on Mr Macron, accusing him of not respecting "freedom of belief" and marginalising the millions of Muslims in France.

On Sunday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggested, for a second time, that Mr Macron should seek "mental checks" for his views on Islam.

Similar comments prompted France to recall its ambassador to Turkey for consultations on Saturday.

How widespread is the boycott on French products?
Some supermarket shelves had been stripped of French products in Jordan, Qatar and Kuwait by Sunday. French-made hair and beauty items, for example, were not on display.

In Kuwait, a major retail union has ordered a boycott of French goods.

The non-governmental Union of Consumer Co-operative Societies said it had issued the directive in response to "repeated insults" against the Prophet Muhammad.

In a statement, the French foreign ministry acknowledged the moves, writing: "These calls for boycott are baseless and should stop immediately, as well as all attacks against our country, which are being pushed by a radical minority."

Online, calls for similar boycotts in other Arab countries, such as Saudi Arabia, have been circulating.

A hashtag calling for the boycott of French supermarket chain Carrefour was the second-most trending topic in Saudi Arabia, the Arab world's largest economy.

Meanwhile, small anti-French protests were held in Libya, Gaza and northern Syria, where Turkish-backed militias exert control.

Why is France embroiled in this row?
Mr Macron's robust defence of French secularism and criticism of radical Islam in the wake of Mr Paty's killing has angered some in the Muslim world.

Turkey's Mr Erdogan asked in a speech: "What's the problem of the individual called Macron with Islam and with the Muslims?"

Meanwhile Pakistani leader Imran Khan accused the French leader of "attacking Islam, clearly without having any understanding of it".

"President Macron has attacked and hurt the sentiments of millions of Muslims in Europe & across the world," he tweeted.

French Muslims fear state aims to control their faith
Earlier this month, before the teacher's killing, Mr Macron had already announced plans for tougher laws to tackle what he called "Islamist separatism" in France.

He said a minority of France's estimated six million Muslims were in danger of forming a "counter-society", describing Islam as a religion "in crisis".

Cartoons caricaturing the Islamic prophet have a dark and intensely political legacy in France.

In 2015, 12 people were killed in an attack on the offices of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, which had published the cartoons.

Some in Western Europe's largest Muslim community have accused Mr Macron of trying to repress their religion and say his campaign risks legitimising Islamophobia.


It is having effect. France is now officially pleading to Arab nations not to boycott its products at the highest level. The French now understand that this is going to have ramifications. More and more countries could now follow through with boycotting French products. Now all Muslim countries should indeed follow through and boycott French products to hurt them as much as possible. As long as France doesn't apologise there shouldn't be any respite.
 
isn't that another attack

This is the best possible reply from the Islamic countries. Simply boycott their products collectively. French pleading speaks volume.

LOL this is France for you. Attack and hate Muslims all day long, but beg to Islamic nations to not boycott their products. What a radical and confused nation.
 
I am fully behind the boycott of French goods and services.

Personally, problem for me is that as a Muslim I don't drink, so I cannot boycott French Wines.
I don't eat much of Cheese, not overtly in love with the Cheeses. I do eat it though from time to time, but only British Cheddar. :(
 
Covid is brutal

All industry is under pressure

If a big chunk of 2 BILLION muslims suddenly boycott, it won't break France

BUT it will pile on the pressure, during a Corona period where french industry faces collapse

This is a LEGITIMATE non violent way to protest and show our anger and dissatisfaction with what France has done

And needs to be carried on atleast for a while to give them a message

The boycott needs to be done until Macron himself officially apologises to all Muslims.
 
I am shocked. Do you put your finger on a hot stove and then complain when your finger gets burned?

France was clearly provoking Muslims. I just assumed it was ready to go forward with an anti-Muslim campaign.

I thought France was like a charging crusader.

France needs to make up its mind. Is France embarking on a hardline anti-Muslim campaign or isn't it?

The thing I'm reminded of is the US campaign in Vietnam. The US goes into Vietnam but doesn't have the will to fight to the finish.

Muslims should double, triple down on opposition to France. France has shown weakness.

They provoked Muslims but they are lacking in will. They have overplayed their hand.

This is an opportunity for Muslims to rally, to show their resolve, to give another defeat for France and to score a victory for Islam and Muslims.
 
PARIS (Reuters) - France on Sunday urged Middle Eastern countries to stop retail companies from boycotting French products.

The foreign affairs ministry said in a statement that in recent days there had been calls to boycott French products, notably food products, in several Middle Eastern countries as well as calls for demonstrations against France over the publication of satirical cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad.

“These calls for boycott are baseless and should stop immediately, as well as all attacks against our country, which are being pushed by a radical minority,” the statement said.




Lol. Right, stop boycotting French products but it’s ok to insult the buyers beliefs, stupid French fries.
 
I am fully behind the boycott of French goods and services.

Personally, problem for me is that as a Muslim I don't drink, so I cannot boycott French Wines.
I don't eat much of Cheese, not overtly in love with the Cheeses. I do eat it though from time to time, but only British Cheddar. :(


Most French products in Pakistan are cosmetic items. Lancôme and garnier are two I can think of off the top of my head.
 
I am shocked. Do you put your finger on a hot stove and then complain when your finger gets burned?

France was clearly provoking Muslims. I just assumed it was ready to go forward with an anti-Muslim campaign.

I thought France was like a charging crusader.

France needs to make up its mind. Is France embarking on a hardline anti-Muslim campaign or isn't it?

The thing I'm reminded of is the US campaign in Vietnam. The US goes into Vietnam but doesn't have the will to fight to the finish.

Muslims should double, triple down on opposition to France. France has shown weakness.

They provoked Muslims but they are lacking in will. They have overplayed their hand.

This is an opportunity for Muslims to rally, to show their resolve, to give another defeat for France and to score a victory for Islam and Muslims.

Absolutely shameful. What respect is there left when France has to get on its knees and plead Muslims which it hates to not boycott its products? Is there any self respect?

India another Islam hating country and a firm ally of France is going to buy all French products which are being boycotted by Islamic nations LOL
 
Most French products in Pakistan are cosmetic items. Lancôme and garnier are two I can think of off the top of my head.

Well, what do I know about makeup!! :p:


In that case, Pakistanis should boycott them. I will check it with my wife, what she uses and urge her to boycott French products for sure.
 
Well, what do I know about makeup!! :p:


In that case, Pakistanis should boycott them. I will check it with my wife, what she uses and urge her to boycott French products for sure.

Every little bit helps. Every single Islamic nation and trade union should chip in and add French products to their boycott list. This is a fantastic response. Simply don't put French products on the shelves. Ban the import of French products.

If governments don't cooperate with the masses, the consumers should identify French products and boycott them.

Until Macron doesn't apologise there should be no let down.
 
Freedom of speech, france.

You're free to publish the cartoons.

People are free to boycott you.

Every choice has a consequence, Macron should have known better than to appease the right wing neonazis.

I also find it funny that France is upset at Erdogan making fun of Macron. The amount of hypocrisy is so obvious here.

The West are all hypocritical but the French take takes the award.
 
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