Saudi Arabia and many Arab governments are bored with French boycotts...

The example of Bangladesh typifies and puts into perspective the anti-French fuss in the Islamic world. This is mainly fueled on social media and by a number of governments that have an interest in it. In recent days there have been arguments against France in a number of countries, but especially in that part of it Libya supported by Turkey and at pro-Turkish rebels in Syria and in the Gaza Strip controlled by the radical Palestinian group Hamas. A planned demonstration in Lebanon was partly disappointing.

That is not to say that there is no annoyance, but in countries like Tunisia, discussions about free speech versus religion are also raging and opinions are divided. Most governments in the Islamic world seem – just like the Saudis – above all bored to sit with the rel. Some others hope the to divert attention domestic problems such as the corona crisis and its socio-economic consequences.

Now it’s also blunted by just pointing to Islam or radical versions of it, too Christian, Jewish, Hindu and other religions or nationalist groups have shown less and less tolerance for “insults” in recent decades. In a defense of free speech, British comedian Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean / Blackadder) last year commented “how terribly irritable and intolerant society has become to even the most mildly deviant comment”. He did that under the slogan “Feel free to insult me!“.