The tea towel is burning. Calls for a boycott of French products multiplied on Saturday in several countries of the Middle East. In Israel, near 200 demonstrators gathered on Saturday evening in front of the residence of the French Ambassador in Tel Aviv.
What lit the fuse?
“We will carry secularism high. We will not give up caricatures, drawings, even if others back down. We will continue this fight for freedom and for reason […] ». These words ofEmmanuel Macron aroused the stir in several Muslim countries leading to a protest movement.
The French head of state spoke Thursday during a tribute to the professor Samuel Paty, beheaded by an Islamist assailant after showing his 4th year students drawings of Muhammad on the occasion a course on freedom of expression.
Who is calling for this boycott?
On social networks, calls to boycott French products have multiplied since Friday, through hashtags in Arabic.
The Turkey, Iran, the Jordan or the Kuwait denounced the publication of the Prophet’s caricatures. Representation of prophets is strictly prohibited by Sunni Islam and ridiculing or insulting the Prophet Muhammad is punishable by death in some Muslim countries.
Read also : Erdogan denounces Macron’s attitude towards Muslims, the Elysee recalls its ambassador
Who has already implemented it?
In Kuwait, images showing Kiri and Babybel cheeses removed from the shelves of certain stores were relayed on social networks.
Calls for a boycott of French products are increasing in several countries in the Middle East, after the commotion aroused by the words of President Emmanuel Macron, who promised not to “renounce the cartoons” of the Prophet Muhammad, banned in the Muslim religion #AFP pic.twitter.com/lxr2ze0GfE
– Agence France-Presse (@afpfr) October 24, 2020
At Qatar, the distribution chains Al-Meera and Souq al-Baladi announced that they “Would withdraw” French products from stores until further notice. In one of Al-Meera’s stores, an AFP correspondent saw employees removing St. Dalfour brand jams from shelves.
For its part, the University of Qatar announced on Twitter on Friday the postponement of the French cultural week following “The deliberate attack on Islam and its symbols”.
About sixty cooperative companies, which are major distributors in Kuwait, have announced a boycott of French products, the vice-president of the Federation of Cooperatives, Khaled al-Otaibi, told AFP. #AFP pic.twitter.com/XRbNyaMB2r
– Agence France-Presse (@afpfr) October 24, 2020
The Organization for Islamic Cooperation, which brings together Muslim countries, deplored “The words of certain French officials […] likely to harm Franco-Muslim relations ”.
About sixty cooperative societies, which are major distributors in Kuwait, have announced a boycott of French products, the vice-president of the Federation of Cooperatives, Khaled al-Otaibi, told AFP. “We have withdrawn all French products, namely cheeses, creams and cosmetics from the shelves and returned them to authorized agents of these brands in Kuwait”, he explained.
About sixty cooperative companies, which are major distributors in Kuwait, have announced a boycott of French products, the vice-president of the Federation of Cooperatives, Khaled al-Otaibi, told AFP. #AFP pic.twitter.com/XRbNyaMB2r
– Agence France-Presse (@afpfr) October 24, 2020
Some 430 travel agencies in Kuwait have also suspended bookings for flights to France, the head of the Federation of Kuwaiti Travel Agencies, Mohammad al-Motairi, told AFP. In Jordan, the Islamic Action Front. , an opposition party, called on citizens to boycott French products.
The Gulf countries, notably Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, represent an increasingly important market for the exports of the French agri-food industry.
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