Israel: Hundreds protest against Macron's remarks on Islam and its crackdown in France

Hundreds of protesters demonstrated outside the French ambassador to Israel’s residence on Saturday against Emmanuel Macron’s remarks on not giving up cartoons that depict Prophet Muhammad. As per reports, the protesters, including some wearing masks, carried banners in Arabic in support of Islam’s religious leader and the entire demonstration took place after the evening prayers in the district of Jaffa in Tel Aviv with a majority Arabs. 

The protesters reportedly accused the French President Macron of playing the game of ‘extreme right’ after he said earlier this week that the history teacher who was beheaded near Paris “was killed because Islamists want our future”.  The French teacher, Samuel Paty was decapitated on October 16 after discussing the caricatures of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad with his pupils.

He was beheaded by an 18-year-old Moscow-born Chechen refugee who was later shot dead by the French Police.  Two other teenagers have been reportedly charged with complicity in the terrorist murder in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine commune north of Paris. As per reports, the prosecutor has claimed that the 18-year-old had offered students in the school nearly $350 to $415 to identify Paty. 

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Hamas protests against Macron

Meanwhile, the supporters of the Hams Islamic militant group in Gaza also demonstrated against French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday. As per the Associated Press report, in the aftermath of gruesome beheading of history teacher near Paris who showed cartoons of Prophet Muhammad to students, French authorities have not only closed a mosque but have also ordered a domestic Islamist militant group, Collective Cheikh Yassine, to be dissolved which was named after a slain Hamas leader. 

However, the French government’s spokesperson reportedly called the group “implicated” and “linked” to the attack on the French teacher and is also utilised to encourage anti-republican hate speech. In the wake of remarks made by Macron and his government, dozens of Hamas supporters reportedly demonstrated because according to them, the statements were undermining the religion and the Prophet Muhammad. 

Earlier this month, French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin reportedly said that the law enforcement authorities have raided the homes of "dozens" of suspected Islamist terrorists. He also reportedly said that the arrests of people among the Islamist networks are to send a message that “enemies of the Republic” would not be able to enjoy “a minute’s respite”. 

French Interior Minister wrote on Twitter, "There is only one community in France: it is the national community."

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Image: AP