Israel-Hamas War: Footballer Karim Benzema's Citizenship Should Be Revoked, Says French Senator Valerie Boyer

French senator Valerie Boyer's remarks follow a claim by interior minister Gerald Darmanin that footballer Karim Benzema is a member of terrorist organization Muslim Brotherhood. Benzema had tweeted in support of the Palestinian victims of the Israel-Hamas war

Outlook Sports Desk

Updated on: 19 October 2023 11:11 am

File image of Karim Benzema.

Following footballer Karim Benzema’s recent tweet on the Israel-Hamas war, French senator Valerie Boyer has called for the revocation of his Ballon d’Or award and his French citizenship. The senator's comment comes in the wake of French interior minister Gerald Darmanin claiming that Benzema is a member of Muslim Brotherhood, a religious and political group that is designated as a terrorist group by France. (Football News)

On Sunday, 15 October, Benzema had posted a message on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) about the attacks on Gaza Strip. The former Real Madrid forward's tweet read: “All our prayers go out to the people of Gaza, victims once again of unjust bombings that spare neither women nor children.”

Toutes nos prières pour les habitants de Gaza victimes une fois de plus de ces bombardements injustes qui n’épargnent ni femmes ni enfants.
— Karim Benzema (@Benzema) October 15, 2023

Reacting to the tweet, Darmanin said Benzema had "links to the Muslim Brotherhood". Speaking to French TV channel CNews, Darmanin said: “We have closed 1,100 Islamist establishments. And in recent weeks, I’ve been particularly interested, Mr. Benzema is linked, we all know it, notoriously with the Muslim Brotherhood.”

Benzema's lawyer Vigier Hugues soon refuted the claim. “This is false! Karim Benzema never had any relation with this organization,” Vigier told French daily Le Parisien on Thursday, adding that his team was considering taking legal action against the French minister.