IDF Chief of Staff Slams 'NAZA' Film as Blood Libel, Distortion

IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir convened an emergency meeting to address the film "NAZA," which he described as a deliberate attempt to undermine the legitimacy of the IDF and the State of Israel. Zamir asserted that the IDF operates in accordance with international law and ethical codes, prioritizing the minimization of harm to civilians. He stated that the ratio of civilian casualties to terrorists in IDF operations is significantly lower than that of other armies globally.

In a statement released by the IDF Spokesperson's Unit, Zamir declared, "Based on what has been published so far, this is not a film criticizing the IDF or an attempt to establish the truth. It is based on blood libels, deliberate distortion of reality, and the most severe false accusations against IDF soldiers and commanders. The film adopts the narratives of those who hate Israel, defames our soldiers and commanders, and attempts to portray the IDF as an army that intentionally violates the law."

He warned that the film represents a dangerous effort to strip Israel of its right to self-defense and could endanger IDF personnel. "We will not allow IDF soldiers to be turned into targets through lies and blood libels. Such an attempt must be met with a strong response, using all available means, legal, command, and public diplomacy," Zamir stated.

The Chief of Staff emphasized the need for a broad information and diplomatic campaign, involving the Foreign Ministry, Ministry of Justice, the Prime Minister's Office's Public Diplomacy Directorate, and other relevant bodies.

Following the meeting, Zamir ordered the establishment of an inter-agency, multidisciplinary team, led by the Head of the IDF Planning Directorate, to develop measures and tools to counter false accusations against the IDF. This team will collaborate with Israeli and international experts. Additionally, the IDF will explore legal actions against the film and its creators for spreading false accusations and potentially endangering personnel and national security. The IDF will also investigate potential security breaches and unauthorized disclosure of classified materials used in the film.

Senior IDF officers, including Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Tamir Hayman, Head of Operations Maj. Gen. Yitzhak Cohen, Military Advocate General Maj. Gen. Yair Refaelov, Commander of the Air Force Maj. Gen. Omer Tishler, Commander of Unit 8200 Brig. Gen. A., and IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Efi Defrin, attended the meeting. Brig. Gen. Defrin also requested a copy of the film from its creators to provide detailed responses to its allegations.