Netanyahu Demands Investigation into 'False Narrative' Film

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for a criminal investigation and prosecution of individuals involved in a film titled "NZA," which he described as a "false narrative" against Israel and the IDF. In a letter addressed to Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, Shin Bet head David Zinni, and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, Netanyahu expressed concern that the film, which features testimonies from current and former soldiers of Unit 8200, may have exposed highly classified information.

The Prime Minister's demand follows a detailed response from the IDF spokesperson, spanning 17 pages, which refuted the film's claims, pointing out significant factual errors and a distorted presentation of the process for approving strikes. Netanyahu stated that the film "unfolds a false, misleading, and tendentious narrative, which slanders the State of Israel and the IDF to the world and severely damages Israel's standing globally."

Beyond the damage to Israel's image, Netanyahu highlighted the serious security concerns, suggesting that those involved may have committed criminal offenses by revealing top-secret information and creating a breach in the information security of a highly sensitive intelligence unit. He urged for the swift identification of all involved, a criminal investigation into alleged violations of information security, criminal defamation, and harm to the nation's political and security interests, and their subsequent prosecution.

The IDF's response, published about ten days prior, rejected the film's central assertions, clarifying that artificial intelligence never independently selects targets for strikes. It explained that targets are identified by intelligence officers, and strike decisions are made by operational commanders. The IDF also refuted claims about a policy permitting strikes based on a predetermined number of civilian casualties, stating that no attack has ever been planned or executed in Gaza where the expected death toll of civilians was around 500. The military emphasized that its directives require minimizing harm to civilians and that evacuation warnings do not permit ignoring those remaining in the area.

The IDF further criticized the film for presenting a partial picture, referencing early stages of intelligence work without showing the full strike approval process. It also noted the omission of crucial context, such as the October 7th attack, Hamas's activities among the civilian population, and measures taken to reduce civilian harm, including warnings, munition adjustments, strike cancellations, and foregoing military opportunities. The IDF stated that the filmmakers did not submit their claims for a response before publication nor provided a copy after its screening, despite the military's request.