Watan – A member of the French Senate has called for the revocation of Karim Benzema’s French citizenship, following his support for the Palestinians and condemnation of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip. This comes after the French Interior Minister, Gérald Darmanin, suggested that Benzema has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.
Valérie Boyer, Deputy Leader of the conservative Republicans party, stated on the “X” website, “If the minister’s comments are accurate, we should consider imposing sanctions on Karim Benzema.” She suggested that depriving Benzema of the Ballon d’Or, which he won in 2022, could be an initial symbolic punishment, and proposed revoking his citizenship as a secondary punitive measure against him. Boyer’s statement emphasized, “We cannot accept that a globally renowned dual-nationality citizen can insult and even betray our country.”
Darmanin’s claim that Benzema has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood was made during an interview on the conservative French TV channel C News, without providing any supporting evidence. He stated, “Benzema is known for his relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood. We all know that.”
Benzema’s lawyer, Hugues Vigier, quickly denied these allegations, telling the French newspaper Le Parisien, “This is not true. Karim Benzema has absolutely no connection with this organization.” He added that they are considering legal action against the French minister.
Benzema had tweeted about the war on Gaza, expressing his sympathy and solidarity with the citizens there, saying, “All our prayers are for the people of Gaza, who are once again victims of unjust bombing, sparing neither child nor woman.”
The French government’s comments on Benzema’s positions come in a context where religious matters are sensitive in France, with the law separating church and state since 1905. This extends to sports, where earlier this year, the French Football Federation refused to pause matches briefly to allow Muslim players to break their fast, a practice recently adopted in the English and Dutch football leagues, claiming it violates the principle of secularism.