Culture Minister Threatens Citizenship Revocation for Filmmakers of Anti-Israel Movie

Israeli Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar has announced his intention to revoke the citizenship of the creators of the film "To the End of the Earth" (formerly "Collateral Damage"), which recently received an award at the Venice Film Festival. Zohar, a member of the Likud party, described the film as "shameful" and its creators' actions as "treason" motivated by a desire for approval from "anti-Semites worldwide." He stated that this situation underscores the importance of his reforms in the film industry, aimed at preventing Israeli taxpayers from funding productions that criticize IDF soldiers and the State of Israel. "As Minister of Culture, I will immediately take steps to revoke the Israeli citizenship of these despicable creators for treason," Zohar declared.

The article notes that the legal feasibility of such a move is questionable. While Israel's Citizenship Law allows for citizenship revocation in cases of treason, the specific scenarios outlined in the law primarily involve acts like participation in terrorist activities or aiding an enemy during wartime. Revoking citizenship for individuals born in Israel is not standard practice, and a court is unlikely to approve it based solely on a film's content, even if deemed defeatist. Furthermore, international conventions generally prohibit rendering individuals stateless by revoking their sole citizenship. Both of the film's creators, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Shor, reportedly do not hold other citizenships.

"To the End of the Earth" reportedly features interviews with anonymous Hebrew speakers who claim to have served in the IDF during the war with Hamas. These individuals allege witnessing civilian casualties resulting from strikes against militants, with full knowledge of the command. The film's award at Venice has sparked significant controversy within Israel.