Netanyahu Defends IDF Amidst International Criticism Over Gaza War and 'Naza' Film

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched a strong defense of Israel and its military on Wednesday, denouncing what he called a "false and absurd international attack" that falsely portrays the Israeli army as committing war crimes and persecuting minorities. These remarks were made during a ceremony in the Lower Galilee to lay the cornerstone for a memorial to Christian Arab soldiers killed while serving in the IDF.

Netanyahu's statements come amid a growing Israeli campaign to counter the international impact of the documentary film "Naza," which recently won a special jury prize at the Venice International Film Festival. The film, based on testimonies from 24 former soldiers of the elite Unit 8200, explores the IDF's "collateral damage" policy, including alleged instances of burning residential areas and killing civilians during food distribution in Gaza. The term "Naza" reportedly refers to an Israeli military intelligence acronym for the anticipated number of civilian deaths in airstrikes.

"We are under a global attack on the State of Israel and on the Israeli army," Netanyahu stated, asserting that Israel and its soldiers are being misrepresented abroad. He described the accusation of war crimes against the IDF as "the greatest absurdity that can be said about the most moral army in the world," contrasting Israel with a region he characterized as lacking mercy and acceptance, and rife with hostility and extremism.

In response to the film, Israeli Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar has called for an urgent investigation into the sources of information used by the filmmakers, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Shore. Zohar questioned whether sensitive security or operational information was illegally used and suggested the involvement of hostile entities like Hamas. The IDF's Chief of Staff has also ordered an examination into the potential use or leakage of classified materials during the film's production and legal actions against its creators.

Simultaneously, the Israeli military and Foreign Ministry have launched a media campaign to refute the film's content. However, over a thousand Israeli filmmakers have signed a petition in solidarity with Abraham and Shore, warning against an unprecedented incitement campaign. The film's international attention comes as the war in Gaza, according to Palestinian sources, has resulted in over 73,000 Palestinian deaths and more than 174,000 injuries, predominantly women and children.