Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has joined a campaign to take away the citizenship of two filmmakers who directed the documentary NAZA. The film examines allegations that Israeli military systems and targeting rules have led to large numbers of Palestinian civilian deaths in Gaza. The documentary received a standing ovation and a Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival. The Venice audience gave the film a standing ovation of about 25 minutes.
The film was directed by Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, according to TheWrap. Abraham and Szor previously won an Academy Award for their film No Other Land, which focused on Palestinian land destruction. That earlier film was co-directed with Palestinian filmmakers Basel Adra and Hamdan Ballal. NAZA is named for a Hebrew military acronym meaning collateral damage and is used in the film for the number of civilians expected to be killed in a strike. The documentary is built around interviews with 24 anonymous Israeli soldiers and intelligence officers.
One anonymous source in the film said an attack was once approved with an expected toll of 500 civilians. The IDF has denied that it ever planned or carried out a strike in which 500 civilian deaths were anticipated. The documentary also includes descriptions of IDF snipers shooting at civilians trying to reach food sites. Israel’s Culture Minister Miki Zohar called for the filmmakers to lose their citizenship, according to a report from AOL. Zohar does not have authority by himself to revoke citizenship. Existing Israeli law allows citizenship to be revoked in limited cases and requires additional government and court action. The military has acknowledged using artificial intelligence to help identify targets but says a human makes the final decision before a strike.
Netanyahu said in a social media post that he would take action against anyone who defames IDF soldiers abroad. He added that the punishment would include financial penalties. Netanyahu said he plans to advance two government bills. One would allow citizenship to be revoked from people who defame Israeli soldiers abroad. The other would sharply increase statutory damages in defamation cases. Israeli media reports cited by The Guardian said the defamation proposal could raise damages without proof of harm to one million shekels.
The film’s Venice premiere sparked anger among Israeli political and military leaders. Some described the documentary as anti-Israel and lacking proper context. Associated Press reported that many of the officials criticizing NAZA acknowledged they had not seen the full film. The move to revoke citizenship is part of a broader effort by Netanyahu to respond to criticism of the film. Netanyahu also cited remarks by opposition politician Yair Golan and a leaked abuse video when explaining the proposed laws. MK2 Films is handling sales on the film. The film was produced by The Guardian and JW Films, while Jonathan Glazer served as an executive producer. Netanyahu’s statement was translated by Anadolu news agency.
The documentary has drawn attention not just in Israel, but internationally. It was shown at the Venice Film Festival, where it received a strong reception. The Guardian has said that the testimonies in the film are true and deserve to be heard. The IDF says the documentary relies on anonymous sources whose identities and roles cannot be independently verified and says its allegations are false. The film has not yet been widely released in Israel.
This action by Netanyahu comes as he prepares for upcoming elections in Israel. Israel’s election is scheduled for October 27. Some of Netanyahu’s political opponents have criticized the film, while Israeli rights groups and filmmakers have criticized calls to strip the directors of citizenship. The dispute has led to a wider argument in Israel over free speech and criticism of the military. The proposed laws would expand the government’s tools for responding to speech about military conduct if they are passed.
IMAGE: 12 September 2026 Ondine Goat CC4