On Friday the centre-left French newspaper Liberation printed two of the controversial Danish cartoons, describing them as "exhibits in the case".
While criticising the caricatures as mediocre, the newspaper said its decision had been taken out of a concern to reaffirm values which were being damaged in France.
"Liberation defends the freedom of expression," was the headline over the cartoons, one of which depicted the Prophet Muhammad on a cloud, telling suicide bombers to stop because heaven had run out of virgins.
At the same time, France Soir newspaper, which printed all 12 cartoons on Wednesday, published a message from its staff in support of managing editor Jacques Lefranc.
He was sacked by the paper's Egyptian-French owner Raymond Lakah on Wednesday night.
Freedom of expression
In the paper, the journalists insisted: "Let us repeat again and again: there is absolutely no question of stigmatising Islam and Muslims. Religion is not the issue here but intolerance."
In an attempt to calm the situation in the country with Europe's biggest Muslim population, French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin reiterated the government's position - that freedom of expression was a necessity in France, but that respect was also important.
However, in a television interview, French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy condemned the violent protests in Gaza and elsewhere.
"I am totally shocked and find it unacceptable that because there have been caricatures in the West, extremists can burn flags or take fundamentalist or extremist positions which would prove the cartoonists right," he said.
Yet the reaction by French Muslims has been relatively muted.
Official spokesmen for France's Muslim groups have all condemned the cartoons, and welcomed the sacking of the managing editor at France Soir.
The head of the French Council of Muslims said his group was looking into taking France Soir to court for provocation.
In Paris, many ordinary Muslims said they agreed that the cartoons themselves were hurtful and blasphemous.
"This is not the right time for newspapers to be publishing things like that", said Abdel Malik.
"People are upset and angry. After the 11 September terrorism, all of that, there are certain sensitivities. Muslims everywhere feel hurt by it."
