Israeli Minister Calls for Stripping Citizenship of Documentary Filmmakers

Israel's Minister of Culture and Sports, Miki Zohar, has strongly condemned the documentary film "Nez'a" (Damage), calling for its creators to be expelled from the country. Zohar announced his intention to pursue the revocation of the filmmakers' citizenship, citing treason. In a radio interview, he clarified that while he may not have the direct authority to revoke citizenship, he believes the film's content, if derived from prohibited sources, constitutes an act of treason with immense damage to Israel. The families of victims from the October 7th attacks have also joined the opposition to the film. Amit Idan, whose brother, sister-in-law, and niece were killed or abducted on October 7th, described the film as "cowardly" and questioned its purpose, suggesting the creators sought sensationalism. He argued that the film is an insult to the victims' families and should have presented the full picture, including the massacre. The film, which won a jury prize at the Venice Film Festival, features testimonies from 24 soldiers and intelligence personnel about combat mechanisms in Gaza. Idan criticized the anonymous nature of the testimonies, filmed on Tel Aviv rooftops with obscured identities, contrasting it with the open bravery of the victims. Meir Zohar, father of a victim from the Nova music festival massacre, stated the film is "unfit for viewing" and aims solely to "blacken Israel's name." He lamented the film's focus on alleged Israeli actions without acknowledging the October 7th atrocities that initiated the war, asserting that Israeli soldiers are moral and that many died due to this morality. The IDF spokesperson vehemently denied claims within the film, stating the military never planned or executed attacks with an expected civilian death toll of 500, and that the filmmakers could not substantiate such a claim. The filmmakers, in their defense, stated the film, shot on Tel Aviv rooftops, details the systems behind what they describe as Israel's calculated mass killing of Palestinians in Gaza since the October 7th war. The film was produced by The Guardian and involved producers of the Oscar-winning film "Zone of Interest," and is based on findings published by "Local Call" and "+972 Magazine" alongside The Guardian between 2023 and 2025.