Israeli Outrage Over Venice Film Accusing IDF of War Crimes
A documentary film titled "NAZA," presented at the Venice Film Festival just before Rosh Hashanah, has largely been met with outrage in Israel. Few Israelis have openly supported Yuval Abraham and Rachel Shore, who accuse Israel of war crimes in the film. This reaction is presented as surprising, given that Israeli media has extensively criticized Israeli militarism in recent years, particularly the war initiated after October 7th, which many analysts viewed as a means for Prime Minister Netanyahu's political survival.
Hundreds of former generals and intelligence officials, along with mainstream media, opposed the military actions. Notably, three of the four members of the security cabinet, Gallant, Gantz, and Eisenkot, insisted on ending the war. They resigned from the coalition in the summer of 2024 after failing to prevent the capture of Rafah and the Philadelphi Corridor. The article points out that many prominent critics of the "bloodshed" leveled the same accusations against the IDF that are now concretely presented by anonymous figures in "NAZA."
Former Israeli officials like Bnei Gantz, Ehud Barak, Ehud Olmert, Ephraim Sneh, and Yair Golan have all made statements alleging genocide in Gaza or that Israeli soldiers target Arab children. The article highlights a specific accusation of rape by members of the "Unit 101" against a terrorist, initially brought by chief military prosecutor Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi. She later admitted to fabricating evidence, leading to the case's dismissal. However, her initial findings were reportedly used by an international court to find Israel guilty of sexual violence in conflict.
The article argues that the Israeli press, particularly Haaretz, regularly condemns the "occupation," suggesting that Tel Aviv and Jerusalem have become centers of international anti-Zionist propaganda, shifting from Doha and London. The creators of "NAZA" are accused of overreaching by attributing "fascist" qualities to elite units like the air force and intelligence (Unit 8200), rather than the infantry. One episode features a "pilot" claiming to have received and executed an order that could result in the deaths of up to 500 civilians. The IDF has categorically denied the existence or possibility of such an order, emphasizing its strict protocols for every airstrike.
The author questions why Abraham and Shore, if their claims held any truth, did not present their evidence to the Israeli prosecution, which has prosecuted soldiers for lesser offenses. Instead, they allegedly presented their film to an international tribunal while concealing their plans from even the most progressive elements of the Israeli elite. The article speculates on the motivations behind their actions, drawing parallels to historical instances of Jewish individuals initiating anti-Jewish campaigns, citing figures like Theobald, Thomas of Monmouth, Nicolas Donin, and Baruch Spinoza as examples of apostate Jews who contributed to anti-Jewish narratives.
