Israeli Culture Minister Seeks Citizenship Revocation for 'NAZA' Film Directors

Israel's Minister of Culture and Sport, Miki Zohar, announced his intention to seek the revocation of Israeli citizenship for directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Shore following their documentary film "NAZA" receiving a special jury prize at the Venice Film Festival on September 12. Zohar vehemently criticized the film, labeling it a "blood libel" against IDF soldiers and the State of Israel. He expressed shock at the film's award, stating his belief that the filmmakers are willing to harm their own country for international recognition.

Zohar linked this incident to his ongoing reform of film funding, asserting, "This is precisely why I promoted an important film reform, so that Israeli citizens no longer pay out of their own pockets for attacks on IDF soldiers and the State of Israel." He plans to immediately pursue citizenship revocation for the filmmakers, accusing them of "treason."

The 80-minute documentary "NAZA" features interviews with 24 individuals who claim to have served in the IDF and intelligence agencies, with their identities concealed. The film uses these testimonies to portray Israeli forces' actions in Gaza as a system responsible for intentionally causing widespread harm to the local population. The Venice Film Festival's official synopsis described the film as exploring the mechanisms behind what it termed "calculated mass murder of Palestinian civilians in Gaza."

Following its premiere, the film received a lengthy standing ovation, during which Palestinian flags were waved in the audience. The IDF has completely rejected the film's claims, stating that the identities and positions of the anonymous interviewees cannot be verified. The military also emphasized that human decision-makers, not technological systems, are responsible for target selection and strike approvals.