France court rejects Benzema slander case against minister

A French court has thrown out a slander case brought by footballer Karim Benzema against Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, who accused Benzema of connections to the Muslim Brotherhood after he spoke out against Israel’s bombing of Gaza.

The French 2022 Ballon d’Or winner wrote on X, formerly Twitter, in October that Palestinian civilians in Gaza were in his prayers over what he called Israel’s “unfair attacks” of the besieged territory, after the October 7 attacks on Israel by Palestinian militant group Hamas.

The far-right Darmanin said Benzema of “well-known” ties to the Islamist group, without presenting any proof.

Benzema said the accusations “damaged” his reputation and that he had “never had the slightest link” with the group.