Culture Minister Miki Zohar Urges Cinemas to Boycott 'Nezah' Film

Israeli Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar has sent an unusual request to cinema and cinematheque managers across Israel, urging them not to screen the film "Nezah." The minister stated that the film presents "serious lies" against the State of Israel and the IDF, particularly concerning claims attributed to the military. Zohar emphasized that cultural institutions are not obligated to provide a platform for every creation, especially one he described as intended to harm Israel's international reputation.

The minister's appeal comes as the film's creators, Yuval Avraham and Rachel Shor, offered to screen "Nezah" in Israel free of charge, coinciding with its international release. They described this offer as a brave decision against significant efforts to suppress the film.

Zohar argued that while soldiers defend Israeli citizens, cultural institutions bear a special public responsibility not to amplify claims that harm them and the nation. He acknowledged the importance of freedom of creation and expression but asserted that these freedoms do not compel every cultural venue to host any work, especially one propagating falsehoods.

The IDF had previously dismissed allegations made in the film, labeling them as false and based on unverifiable anonymous sources. The article also references previous reports about potential actions regarding the citizenship of the film's creators and a call for the head of the Shin Bet security agency to open an official investigation into the matter.