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France urges Arab nations to prevent boycotts over Macron's cartoons defence

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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.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-europe-54683738
 
Panicking now. Always believe a collective Muslim action can bring any nation down as we have done in past
 
Panicking now. Always believe a collective Muslim action can bring any nation down as we have done in past

So is the Muslim ummah United now? When is Qatar going to end their association with PSG?

The French businessmen are panicking for nothing. Nothing is going to come out of this dramaybaazi.
 
So is the Muslim ummah United now? When is Qatar going to end their association with PSG?

The French businessmen are panicking for nothing. Nothing is going to come out of this dramaybaazi.

Brother, you don't always have to be the contrarian.
 
You should or you can explain yourself on judgement day.

On the contrary, I am sure the Qatar leaders would be questioned on judgement day why they didn’t end their association with PSG and choose money over Muslim unity.
 
Guess Qatar should sell off PSG.

France will continue to internally do what it wants to do while externally keep these facade up.
 
On the contrary, I am sure the Qatar leaders would be questioned on judgement day why they didn’t end their association with PSG and choose money over Muslim unity.

Guess Qatar should sell off PSG.

France will continue to internally do what it wants to do while externally keep these facade up.

You guys don't realize that it's actually an advantage to own assets in another country, you can use it as leverage. Qatar selling off PSG would be to put an axe on their own foot. The more investments you have in a country, the more valuable you are to them thus you can influence policy. Some of you guys don't understand realpolitik and the art of lobbying.
 
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.

France needs to make up it's mind; if this boycott is being pushed by a minority, why are they urging the ME countries to end the boycott? Just ignore it...
 
You guys don't realize that it's actually an advantage to own assets in another country, you can use it as leverage. Qatar selling off PSG would be to put an axe on their own foot. The more investments you have in a country, the more valuable you are to them thus you can influence policy.

What leverage? Qatar, or any Muslim country cannot do jack about the French government Muslim policy.

Getting offended at the drop of a hat, throwing our toys out of the pram and boycotting soaps and shampoos for a few months is all we day and nothing ever changes.

Qatar and the rest can boycott French hair sprays and hair gels all they want, but it will not lead to a shift in French policy and in 2 years time, the world champion football team of France will be in Qatar to defend its trophy and no one will remember this boycott drama.

Furthermore, Qatar selling off PSG would also be an axe on the French government foot. PSG is a cash cow for the French economy. Without Qatar oil money, the club will rapidly lose its appeal, brand value and cash flow.

However, Qatar will not do it because making money is more important than defending the dignity of Islam. The dignity of Islam only matters when it comes to hair products, jams and cookies.

Qatar’s commitment to the defense of Islam is for sale and the price is equal to the brand value of PSG.

Some of you guys don't understand realpolitik and the art of lobbying.

I am sorry, I thought this was about protecting and defending the dignity of Islam and not lobbying and buzzwords like realpolitik?
 
It is good to see Arab nations are standing up to principle. I am glad they took a stand.
 
I was really surprised that offensive images of the Prophet PBUH were projected onto the walls of govt buildings in France. That was quite inappropriate actions for a state to be indulging. The French seem to be losing the plot over this, and with a sizeable Muslim minority, does not seem a wise course of action in the long run. It will only build more bitterness in an already disenfranchised Muslim community.
 
I was really surprised that offensive images of the Prophet PBUH were projected onto the walls of govt buildings in France. That was quite inappropriate actions for a state to be indulging. The French seem to be losing the plot over this, and with a sizeable Muslim minority, does not seem a wise course of action in the long run. It will only build more bitterness in an already disenfranchised Muslim community.

I have to agree there. If the government did that. That is counter productive.
 
On the contrary, I am sure the Qatar leaders would be questioned on judgement day why they didn’t end their association with PSG and choose money over Muslim unity.

At what governmental level has a nation stated they will boycott French products? Besides Erdogan, I don’t think any governmental figures have even discussed it or brought it up. It’s largely a move from the grassroots, which is likely to be symbolic in nature rather than having any major effect on France.

When people use violence (which is unacceptable) or hold protests, people cry. Now if people want to boycott, people are still crying. What’s it to you? Let them do it if they want to and if it makes them feel better.

Everything isn’t to be viewed through such a narrow and superficial lens.
 
At what governmental level has a nation stated they will boycott French products? Besides Erdogan, I don’t think any governmental figures have even discussed it or brought it up. It’s largely a move from the grassroots, which is likely to be symbolic in nature rather than having any major effect on France.

When people use violence (which is unacceptable) or hold protests, people cry. Now if people want to boycott, people are still crying. What’s it to you? Let them do it if they want to and if it makes them feel better.

Everything isn’t to be viewed through such a narrow and superficial lens.

Isnt there is a resolution tabled in Pakistan for the same?
 
Isnt there is a resolution tabled in Pakistan for the same?

The resolution primarily condemned the publication of the caricatures. One of the recommendations was to “Ask OIC countries to boycott French goods.” Nothing will come of it. It’s a populist move not based in reality, politicians just want to be seen as doing something, particularly because of how sensitive the issue of blasphemy is in Pakistan. I’d say people here are more sensitive about it than any other country, and they, unfortunately, sometimes go to great (and extreme) lengths to oppose it.

And this is coming a long time after the movement started. It primarily began and was spread through social media and regular people, not governments.
 
The resolution primarily condemned the publication of the caricatures. One of the recommendations was to “Ask OIC countries to boycott French goods.” Nothing will come of it. It’s a populist move not based in reality, politicians just want to be seen as doing something, particularly because of how sensitive the issue of blasphemy is in Pakistan. I’d say people here are more sensitive about it than any other country, and they, unfortunately, sometimes go to great (and extreme) lengths to oppose it.

And this is coming a long time after the movement started. It primarily began and was spread through social media and regular people, not governments.

Im not blaming Pak to have resolution, my point is it has one tabled even if it is for show purpose,French envoy being called in Pak is also shared by French news..
 
I was really surprised that offensive images of the Prophet PBUH were projected onto the walls of govt buildings in France. That was quite inappropriate actions for a state to be indulging. The French seem to be losing the plot over this, and with a sizeable Muslim minority, does not seem a wise course of action in the long run. It will only build more bitterness in an already disenfranchised Muslim community.

France is in major decline like the rest of Europe, country and people are broke.

There are 2 reasons for this, firstly France is divert from the covid crisis, the pathetic nature of their government caused one of the largest death tolls. Now France acc to some scientists passed 100,00 daily infections. Give it 6 weeks, the country will be once again struggling with it's health infastructure.

Secondly, they are deluded in thinking they are somehow the free liberal civilised world, the country is a dump with no real freedom of speech.

Really bad move by France to make 2 billion people dislike you in the name of nonsense.
 
Im not blaming Pak to have resolution, my point is it has one tabled even if it is for show purpose,French envoy being called in Pak is also shared by French news..

And I’m not saying that governments shouldn’t take action or make statements. The point was that the criticism of the boycott and saying that Qatar needs to sell PSG is nonsensical since this is primarily a grassroots movement that has gained momentum on social media. It’s not a government-led initiative so why should people expect government-level actions? Nothing will happen.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Macron: France will not give up our cartoons.<br>Also Macron: Muslim nations please give up your call to boycott French goods. <br>If you have the freedom to hate, we have the freedom to reject your hate.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/boycottfrenchproducts?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#boycottfrenchproducts</a></p>— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) <a href="https://twitter.com/shoaib100mph/status/1320803086533857280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
French Boycotts.jpg

Some of the French cheese I eat but dont use the rest anyway.

French cars are the worst, so nobody will miss them.
 
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