Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Sources to Al Mayadeen: Extending the snapback mechanism deadline will test how independent Europeans truly are from the US.
Sources to Al Mayadeen: Activating the snapback mechanism will nullify the Cairo Agreement, shut the door on cooperation between the IAEA and Tehran, and bar inspections.
Sources to Al Mayadeen: The diplomatic window remains open, but signs of activating the snapback sanctions mechanism on Iran are increasing.
Sources to Al Mayadeen: Although the Cairo Agreement meets an important part of European demands, they have begun speaking of new conditions in recent communications.
Sources to Al Mayadeen: European countries show no independence in their stance toward Iran during the talks.
Israeli occupation forces issued bombing threats to bomb civilian buildings in Southern Lebanon.
Israeli media: Person behind shooting operation at Allenby Crossing is a Jordanian Army soldier.
Israeli media citing Emergency Services: Both wounded in Allenby shooting operation now dead.
Israeli media: One soldier wounded at Allenby crossing now confirmed killed.
Israeli media: Preliminary reports of shooting operation at Allenby crossing with Jordan.

Benzema sues French minister after pro-Gaza stance backlash

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News websites
  • 18 Jan 2024 12:43
2 Min Read

Ex-Real Madrid player Karim Benzema is taking French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin to court for defamation.

  • x
  • Real Madrid's Karim Benzema claps to supporters during the Spanish La Liga soccer match against Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Sunday, June 4, 2023. (AP)
    Real Madrid's Karim Benzema claps to supporters during the Spanish La Liga soccer match against Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Sunday, June 4, 2023. (AP)

Ex-Real Madrid player Karim Benzema filed a lawsuit against French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin for defamation, following the latter's remarks criticizing the football player's support of Gaza.

In mid-October of 2023, Benzema shared on social media a post that said Palestinians were victims of "unjust bombardment" carried out by "Israel" in the genocide against Gaza. Darmanin then accused him of having ties with the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. 

16/10 "Monsieur Benzema est en lien, on le sait tous, avec les Frères musulmans..." (Cnews)
Gérald Darmanin après un tweet de Benzema qui adressait ses prières aux habitants de Gaza
16/01 Karim Benzema porte plainte contre Gérald Darmanin pour diffamation pic.twitter.com/27pYhPiglI

— Destination Télé (@DestinationTele) January 16, 2024

Benzema denied all claims brought forth by the French Minister, saying Darmanin's accusations were aimed at sabotaging the Muslim player's honor and reputation. 

He also added that he was used in political ploys because of his fame when the real discourse that needs to be highlighted is not empty accusations but the Israeli genocide in Gaza. 

Following his remarks in October, Darmanin said he had nothing personal against Benzema but only wanted to note how shocking it was that the football player did not support Israelis amid the catastrophic war on Gaza nor comment on the "Islamist terrorism" that killed a French teacher earlier in January. 

Related News

Death chases Israeli troops to Jordan; 2 killed in border shooting

Gaza toll tops 65,000 as Israeli strikes kill 79 in 24 hours

The French Minister is apparently also frustrated with Benzema's refusal to sing the French national anthem, in addition to his "proselytizing on social networks."

Notably, it seems like Gerald Darmanin has kept an itinerary of incidents he could use to criticize Benzema.

Read more: Benzema announces retirement from international career with France

Darmanin reflects French extremism 

This does not come as a surprise knowing France's extremism toward "Israel". 

France has opted not to endorse South Africa's genocide case against "Israel" at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), AFP reported, citing the recently inaugurated French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne who claimed that accusing "Israel" of genocide is "immoral".

"Accusing the Jewish state of genocide crosses a moral threshold. The notion of genocide cannot be exploited for political ends," the Foreign Minister said during a parliamentary session.

This comes as the Palestinian Health Ministry revealed that the death toll in Gaza has increased to 24,448 martyrs since the onset of the aggression on October 7, adding that the number of wounded has reached 61,504.

  • Gaza Strip
  • Occupied Palestine
  • Operation Al-Aqsa Flood
  • Palestine
  • football
  • Karim Benzema
  • Real Madrid
  • France
  • Gaza
  • Israel
  • Gerald Darmanin
War on Gaza

War on Gaza

Most Read

Why is Choose Love using a firm with British and US intelligence connections to run a pro-Palestine musical event? (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Together for Palestine: Troubling questions about the organisers of this huge event

  • Opinion
  • 17 Sep 2025
Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza.

Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza

  • Politics
  • 12 Sep 2025
A screengrab from the ad played on Fox News. (X Screengrab)

Fox airs ad warning Trump not to let Netanyahu 'play' him on Gaza

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Lapid: Egypt’s Arab Force plan a 'severe blow' to normalization

Lapid: Egypt’s Arab Force plan a 'severe blow' to normalization

  • Palestine
  • 14 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
A Hezbollah supporter who lost his sight in a pager attack carried out by "Israel" on Sept. 17, 2024, covers his eyes with a red headband inscribed with the name "Hussein" during Ashoura, July 6, 2025 (AP)
Politics

'We Have Recovered': Lebanon marks 1st anniversary of Pager Attack

The Arab neighborhood of El Za'im, on the outskirts of east Occupied Al-Quds in the West Bank, near where Israeli government says housing units will be built as part of the E1 settlement project, Thursday, August 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Palestine

'Israel’s' deliberate policies drive West Bank economy toward collapse

Ben & Jerry's ice cream shop, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Politics

Ben & Jerry’s co-founder resigns over parent company curbing activism

Trump’s approval rating falls to new low in second term: Poll
US & Canada

Trump’s approval rating falls to new low in second term: Poll

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS