France urges Middle East to stop boycott of French products as Macron defends cartoons

France has urged countries in the Middle East to immediately stop calls for a boycott of French products to protest against President Emmanuel Macron’s stance on cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. Macron had defended the right to show a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad after the murder of a French teacher who showed cartoons of the religious leader in class.

Macron had said that the teacher "was killed because Islamists want our future", but France would "not give up our cartoons". The visual depiction of Prophet Muhammad in any form since can cause serious offence to Islamic fundamentalists because they believe it amounts to blasphemy. The ongoing controversy led to the boycott of French goods in some supermarket of Kuwait, Jordan and Qatar.

The French foreign ministry said in a statement that calls for a boycott distort France’s position on freedom of expression and freedom of religion. The ministry said that such calls also distort the remarks made by Macron during the tribute to Samuel Paty, the teacher murdered over cartoons, which were aimed at fighting against radical Islam. 

"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 read.

Read: Outraged By Killing Of Teacher In France, Macron's Govt To Expel 231 Religious Extremists

Read: France Withdraws Ambassador From Turkey After Erdogan Questions Macron's Mental State

Erdogan's 'mental health' comment

Earlier on October 24, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Macron “needs treatment” for his mental health condition while criticising his attitude toward Islam and Muslims. Erdogan’s comment infuriated France, prompting it to recall its ambassador to Turkey for consultation. The French Presidency said, "excess and rudeness are not a method," adding that "we are not accepting insults."

French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian later blasted Turkish authorities for not condemning the terrorist attack and resorting to “hateful and slanderous propaganda” against France. He called the conduct “unacceptable”, especially from an allied nation, adding that the French Ambassador to Turkey has been recalled for consultations.

Read: Turkey's Erdogan Questions Macron's 'mental State', France Recalls Envoy In Protest

Read: Paul Pogba Quits France's Football Team After President Macron's Remarks On Islam: Reports