JERUSALEM

Thousands of Palestinians on Friday gathered at the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in Jerusalem to protest French President Emmanuel Macron’s anti-Islam remarks.

Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, the preacher at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, condemned the republication of caricatures insulting the Prophet Muhammad and Macron’s remarks.

"The French president has declared his hostility to Muslims in the world," Sabri said.

After the Friday prayers, thousands of worshipers gathered at the Al-Aqsa complex. They were holding banners calling for a boycott of French products.

Earlier this month, Macron described Islam as “a religion in crisis" and announced plans for tougher laws to tackle “Islamist separatism” in France.

French Muslims have accused him of trying to repress their religion, and legitimizing Islamophobia.

Turkey has also condemned Macron’s attitude toward Muslims and Islam, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan saying the French leader needed "mental health check".

Macron's attitude against Islam, the republication of caricatures insulting the Muslim Prophet Muhammad and their projection on the walls of buildings have triggered boycotts of French products in several countries, including Qatar, Kuwait, Algeria, Sudan, Palestine, and Morocco.

*Bassel Barakat contributed to this report from Ankara