Israeli Lawmaker Slams 'Anti-Israel' Film by Israeli Creators at Venice Festival

A new film by Israeli creators, "Humanitarian," has sparked controversy after its screening at the Venice Film Festival. The documentary, directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Shore, presents a narrative that Israel intentionally harmed Gazans during the recent conflict. The filmmakers state their premise is to prove deliberate harm to Gazans through the IDF's operational methods and policies.

The film features anonymous testimonies from 24 Israeli soldiers and intelligence personnel, whose faces are obscured and voices distorted. It claims, among other things, that the IDF uses artificial intelligence for target selection without adequately considering civilian harm in Gaza, allegations the filmmakers have not rigorously proven or examined.

Member of Knesset Tally Gottlieb, from the Otzma Yehudit party, reacted with anger, questioning the silence of Israel's political and military leadership. "Who needs enemies when we have enemies from within?" she wrote on social media. "Where is the Defense Minister? Where is the Chief of Staff? When members of Unit 8200 are interviewed for a film to be screened at a festival and lie about the mass killing of civilians in Gaza and target selection via AI."

Gottlieb questioned why the soldiers involved were still serving and not imprisoned, and why military censorship had not intervened. She criticized the IDF spokesperson's silence, stating it serves a narrative that severely damages the IDF's resilience and the integrity of its soldiers. "From your ruins and destroyers you shall come forth," she quoted, implying internal damage to Israel.

The film's claims regarding intentional harm and AI-driven targeting have not been independently verified or seriously investigated, even by the filmmakers themselves, according to the report.