Israel’s culture minister announced Sunday that he would seek to revoke the citizenship of the directors of “NAZA,” a documentary that gives voice to military personnel accusing the Israeli army of killing numerous civilians in Gaza, branding them traitors to the state.
The film, which received a special jury prize at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday, has been celebrated internationally but fiercely condemned within Israel.
Minister Vows Immediate Action
“I will act immediately to revoke Israeli citizenship” from directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, Culture Minister Miki Zohar declared on X.
The minister accused the filmmakers of seeking “to harm their homeland in order to receive applause from antisemites around the world,” adding that such conduct constitutes “treason against the state.”
Other Ministers Join the Attack
Other ministers also lashed out at the directors on Sunday evening. Both are investigative journalists who had previously collaborated on an Oscar-winning documentary, “No Other Land” (2024), about violence by authorities and settlers in the occupied West Bank.
“You are a disgrace and an embarrassment to the entire people of Israel. Get out!” National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir wrote on X. “I am certain that your friends — that is, our enemies Hamas in Gaza — will welcome you with open arms,” the far-right minister continued.
Legal Pathway for Revocation
Revoking citizenship is legally possible in Israel, though rarely applied. The Supreme Court upheld in 2022 the state’s ability to strip citizenship from individuals who have failed to demonstrate “loyalty,” such as by committing acts of espionage or treason. The law was further expanded in 2023 to include persons convicted of “terrorism.”
In practice, the interior minister must file the request, the justice minister must approve it, and judges must validate it.
What the Documentary Reveals
“NAZA” is built on anonymous testimony from 24 members of the Israeli military and intelligence services who expose how Israeli forces kill large numbers of civilians in the war against Hamas in Gaza.
In the 80-minute film, interviewees describe how several technological systems, including artificial intelligence, enabled the Israeli army to locate suspected Hamas members and their families through their phones, then strike them indiscriminately in their homes.
According to the documentary, “NAZA” is an acronym used within the Israeli military to designate the estimated number of civilians killed in a strike. One interviewee explains that soldiers have access to a tool that tells them, for each residence in Gaza, how many people are present and would therefore be affected in the event of a bombardment.
Army Rejects Allegations
After the film’s premiere in Venice, where it received a 25-minute standing ovation, the Israeli army defended itself by “categorically” rejecting accusations that it massively kills civilians in Gaza.
Launched in retaliation for the deadly attacks carried out by Hamas on Israeli soil on October 7, 2023, Israel’s war in Gaza has killed more than 73,000 people, according to the Health Ministry of the Hamas-controlled territory, figures deemed reliable by the United Nations.
