Former England international Joey Barton claims he has ended his public feud with ex-Queens Park Rangers team-mate Yossi Benayoun following a row about the Middle East crisis.
The Maccabi Haifa playmaker took exception to Barton’s comments on Twitter regarding Israel’s hostilities with Hamas, an Islamist militant group running the Gaza Strip.
Benayoun captained his new side in their friendly against Lille in Austria this week but it had to be abandoned when pro-Palestinian protesters invaded the pitch and attacked players.
The feud between the two men started when Barton said: “ How can a God stand by and watch this? Or even condone this? Is this all part of his master plan?”
Benayoun replied: “Mate things can never change you have been stupid and you will stay stupid all your life. Embarrassing.”
Barton soon hit back, insisting he had made a valid point before criticising Benayoun’s grammar.
However, he has returned to the site to reveal that the two men have spoken and they are still friends despite exchanging vastly-contrasting views on such a sensitive subject, in the public domain.
He said: “I have spoken to @YossiBenayoun15 multiple times over the course of the day. We disagree on certain things but our friendship remains.”