Key facts
- The documentary NAZA, produced by The Guardian, uses an Israeli military acronym for expected civilian casualties in attacks.
- The film features 24 anonymized Israeli military insiders describing AI-powered systems used to select thousands of targets.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated he would pursue new laws to revoke citizenship from those who "smear" Israeli soldiers.
- Protesters called for the death penalty for the film's directors, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, outside Szor's parents' home.
- The film will open in US cinemas on September 30.
- Right-wing activists broke into the offices of +972 Magazine and Sicha Mekomit, where reporting on the allegations first appeared.
The documentary NAZA, produced by The Guardian, has elicited starkly contrasting reactions following its premiere at the Venice Film Festival. In Venice, the film received a prolonged standing ovation from the audience in the Sala Grande. The documentary, which runs for 80 minutes, is titled after an Israeli military acronym that euphemistically refers to civilians expected to be killed in military attacks. It features 24 anonymized Israeli military insiders, many from elite units, describing systems, some AI-powered, used to select targets for strikes, often at night and with families present. The film presents a range of viewpoints from these participants, some of whom describe shame, while others express excitement and a sense of "fun" in their actions, all contributing to a program of mass killing where over 73,000 Palestinians have been killed.
In Israel, however, the film has ignited a fierce backlash. Right-wing political figures have accused the Oscar-winning directors, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, of "treason." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Wednesday his intention to pursue new legislation to revoke citizenship from individuals he claims "smear" Israeli soldiers. Demonstrators and far-right groups have escalated calls for violence against the directors, with protesters outside Szor's parents' home demanding the "death penalty for traitors." An editorial in Haaretz warned that the directors' lives are credibly endangered, while dozens of human rights and peace organizations, along with international press freedom groups, have rallied in their defense.
Critics in Israel have seized upon the notion that Israelis should not criticize their country publicly. Ofer Winter, a former right-wing army officer and now politician, criticized the Venice ovation as a "disgrace" and "shame" for "smearing and defaming his own people." Journalist Yehuda Schlesinger of Channel 14 suggested Abraham and Szor should be "pursued" and "hunted," labeling the Venice applause as "antisemitic." In response, Netanyahu announced plans to promote two bills aimed at legislating against the "defamation" of Israeli soldiers and the state, stating that citizenship would be revoked for such actions. The threats have materialized to some extent, with right-wing activists breaking into the offices of +972 Magazine and Sicha Mekomit, where Abraham's initial reporting on the allegations appeared in collaboration with The Guardian. Political and polling expert Dahlia Scheindlin noted that the film's prominence, amplified by the right's exploitation of its unseen status among Israelis, is being used for electoral gain amid the ongoing war in Gaza and upcoming elections. The film's arrival also challenges a long-standing expectation of media self-censorship in Israel during times of conflict, particularly as the country faces increasing international isolation over the Gaza conflict and settler violence in the West Bank. Columnists like Nahum Barnea have called the citizenship revocation proposals "delusional," while Yaakov Katz, former editor-in-chief of the Jerusalem Post, argued such moves create an impression of having something to hide. Etan Nechin of Haaretz suggested that in a healthy democracy, NAZA's allegations would prompt public outrage and investigation, contrasting this with the directors being "pushed into exile."