Protest Planned Outside "NAZA" Film Premiere in New York

As the controversial documentary "NAZA" (Nezek Agabi, meaning incidental damage) screens at the New York Film Festival, the Israeli-American Council (IAC) will hold a rally outside Lincoln Center. The protest, scheduled for Saturday, aims to counter the film's narrative by displaying footage from the October 7th Hamas attack on large screens. The IAC stated that the rally will feature raw footage from "October 7: Bearing Witness to the Massacre," including videos taken by the attackers, and materials they claim contradict the film's assertions.

The film, co-directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Shore, is based on interviews with 24 individuals described as soldiers and intelligence personnel, whose faces and voices are obscured. They discuss their roles in targeting and approving strikes during the Gaza war, alleging high civilian casualties and describing intelligence methods like mapping Hamas operatives' homes and tracking their real-time locations. The film reportedly includes claims of hundreds of civilian deaths in some strikes and comparisons to genocide and the Holocaust, though these are presented as testimonies, not established facts.

Abraham addressed criticism of the film, stating that acknowledging atrocities in Gaza does not diminish the "heinous massacre of October 7th." He also suggested that ignoring the situation in Gaza contributed to the events of that day. The film's trailer has been released, and it is set to be distributed in 56 countries starting September 28th, with plans for free online viewing on The Guardian's website.

The IDF has responded to claims made in the film, particularly after its Venice premiere, stating that the identities and roles of the interviewees are unverifiable. The military denied planning or approving any strike with an expected civilian death toll of 500 or more, asserting that it operates under international law, strives to minimize civilian harm, and investigates alleged violations. The IDF also noted that decisions on targets and strikes are made by humans and that they do not use civilians as human shields, nor do they justify or carry out attacks without justification.

Notable attendees at the IAC rally are expected to include survivors of the Nova music festival and an Israeli-Bedouin man who rescued dozens during the October 7th attack. Abraham and Shore have reportedly received threats but stated they will not be deterred and will continue their work.