France's largest employers' federation on Monday urged companies to"resist the blackmail" over a product boycott by Arab countries as a backlash widens over Paris's hardened stance against radical Islam.
Boycotts of French goods are under way in supermarkets in Qatar and Kuwait, with further calls to spurn French products in Jordan and other states. Macron hailed Paty as a"hero" for representing the secular, free-thinking values of the French republic, which include a long-cherished right to mock religion.
Earlier this month, Macron unveiled a plan to defend France's secular values against a trend of"Islamist separatism", and described Islam as a religion"in crisis". Maher al-Huli, a leader of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, condemned the comments by Macron"and whoever offends the Prophet Mohammed, whether through words, actions, gestures or drawings".On Monday, the Taliban in Afghanistan added its voice to the outcry, saying Macron's comments amounted to"a stand against nations".