Protests Planned as Israel Accusation Film Premieres in New York

The controversial documentary "NAZA," which alleges Israeli responsibility for civilian deaths in Gaza, is set to premiere in North America at the New York Film Festival on Saturday. The British newspaper The Guardian released the film's official trailer on its YouTube channel Friday. The Israeli-American Council (IAC) announced it will hold a protest rally near Lincoln Center, where the screening is scheduled.

During the protest, the IAC will showcase graphic footage from "October 7: Bearing Witness to the Massacre," including material filmed by Hamas terrorists during the October 7th attack on Israel. Survivors of the Nova music festival massacre and individuals who rescued people on October 7th, including Bedouin-Israeli Yonis Al-Garnawi, are expected to attend.

Yuval Abraham, one of the film's creators, defended the documentary on social media, stating it is based on three years of verified journalistic research. He explained the film aims to spark public discussion about Israeli government actions in Gaza, the reported deaths of over 73,000 people, and the normalization of a war of annihilation. Abraham asserted that acknowledging atrocities in Gaza does not diminish the October 7th massacre, for which Hamas is responsible, and that ignoring the situation in Gaza contributed to the events of October 7th.

"NAZA" (Accidental Damage), co-directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Shore, previously won the Grand Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival. The film features testimonies from 24 IDF officers who describe alleged Israeli systems and procedures used to harm and kill civilians in Gaza. The film received a record-breaking 25-minute standing ovation at its Venice premiere.