Mother of Hostage Slain by IDF Speaks Out Against Anti-Israel Film

Iris Haim, mother of Yotam Haim, who was mistakenly killed by Israeli forces after being taken hostage by Hamas, has tearfully spoken out against the anti-Israel film "NezA," stating it has reopened her family's trauma.

In an interview with Channel 14, Haim described how an individual, not affiliated with the film's creators, sent her son a WhatsApp message. This message allegedly referenced a conversation overheard in a Tel Aviv bar involving discharged soldiers, falsely accusing them of killing innocent civilians during the war and mentioning Yotam's name. Haim expressed distress that such accusations, amplified by the film's global distribution, could lead people to question the morality of the IDF and even suggest that her son's death was a mere "collateral damage."

"They are trying to undermine my family's and my belief that we have a moral army. How dare they?" Haim questioned, emphasizing that she knows their soldiers are the most moral. She believes the film and its creators are a "disgrace to the country" and that their actions are akin to propaganda, comparing it to Nazi Germany's use of radio to incite hatred.

Haim also criticized the filmmakers, Yuval Avraham and Rachel Shore, for accepting an award at the Venice Film Festival, calling for a special committee to investigate them and other artists who allegedly collaborate with hatred towards the army and the state. She stated that this experience would influence her future voting decisions.

Meanwhile, Israel's Minister of Culture and Sport, Miki Zohar, has escalated his actions against the filmmakers. Boaz Yosef, Director-General of the Population and Immigration Authority, informed the minister that a formal review has begun to explore the possibility of revoking Avraham and Shore's Israeli citizenship. This process was initiated following the minister's request to examine if the filmmakers' actions constitute grounds for citizenship revocation under Israeli law, particularly concerning aiding an enemy during wartime.