Key facts
- Israeli culture minister Miki Zohar threatened to revoke the citizenship of "NAZA" documentary directors.
- Zohar accused the directors of "treason against the state" and harming their homeland.
- The documentary "NAZA" reportedly uses an acronym from Israel's intelligence service for civilian death expectations in airstrikes on Gaza.
- The film features interviews with 24 Israeli military or intelligence whistleblowers.
- One source in the film claims approval was given to kill 500 civilians to eliminate one Hamas member.
- "NAZA" won a special jury prize at the Venice film festival.
Israel's culture minister, Miki Zohar, has threatened to revoke the citizenship of the Israeli directors of the documentary "NAZA," accusing them of "treason against the state" for their film that details alleged Israeli military actions in Gaza. The documentary, produced by The Guardian, reportedly uses an acronym from Israel's intelligence service to indicate expected civilian deaths in airstrikes.
In "NAZA," directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor interviewed 24 Israeli military or intelligence whistleblowers who described AI-powered targeting systems used in Gaza. One source claimed that approval was given to kill 500 civilians to eliminate a single Hamas member. The 80-minute film recently won a special jury prize at the Venice film festival after receiving a 25-minute standing ovation.
Zohar stated on X that the directors were willing to "harm their homeland in order to receive applause from antisemites around the world" and vowed to "act immediately to revoke the Israeli citizenship of these despicable creators for treason against the state." Far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also criticized the directors, calling them a "disgrace and an embarrassment."
Israeli law allows for the revocation of nationality in cases of treason or terrorism, requiring a request from the interior minister, approval from the justice minister, and validation by judges. Abraham noted the risks faced by Israeli filmmakers within a system he described as having "Jewish-Israeli supremacy as its founding characteristic," contrasting it with the dangers faced by Palestinians.
The Israeli military responded by "categorically reject[ing]" the documentary's allegations and questioned the verification of anonymous testimonies.