Full Breakdown
Israeli Leaders Condemn Venice-Winning Documentary **NAZA**
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Core Event: Government Outcry Over Award-Winning Film
On September 14, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the documentary *NAZA* as “global antisemitic incitement” after it received the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival. Military chief Eyal Zamir ordered a legal review, while Culture Minister Miki Zohar announced plans to revoke the directors’ citizenship. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called the filmmakers “a disgrace” and urged them to leave Israel.
Background & Context: Gaza War and Documentary Claims
*NAZA*—directed by Israeli journalists Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor—examines Israel’s targeting practices in Gaza, alleging that civilian casualties are factored into strike decisions. The film relies on anonymous interviews with 24 Israeli intelligence officers, soldiers and whistleblowers, whose faces and voices were digitally altered. It premiered amid the Gaza conflict that began after Hamas’ 2023 attack, which killed roughly 1,200 people.
Data & Statistics
- Special Jury Prize at the 83rd Venice Film Festival, followed by a 25-minute standing ovation.
- More than 73,000 Palestinians reported killed by Gaza health authorities since the war began.
- The documentary runs 80 minutes and includes testimony from 24 Israeli security personnel.
Official Statements & Responses
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the film as “intolerable” incitement from within Israel.
- Culture Minister Miki Zohar said he would act immediately to revoke the directors’ citizenship for “treason against the state.”
- National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted on X that the filmmakers are a “disgrace and an embarrassment.”
Criticism & Opposition
Legal analysts note that revoking citizenship requires a formal judicial process and that the culture minister lacks unilateral authority to do so. Israeli law permits citizenship removal only for “breach of loyalty” such as treason or espionage, highlighting a procedural gap between the ministers’ statements and existing statutes.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Authority to revoke citizenship: Some reports claim the culture minister can act “immediately,” while others explain that broader governmental and judicial approval is required.
- Film’s distribution: No official theatrical release date has been announced, though French distributor MK2 Films holds world-sales rights.
Timeline
- September 12, 2026: *NAZA* receives the Special Jury Prize at Venice.
- September 14: Netanyahu’s public condemnation via Telegram video.
- September 23 (scheduled): Screening at the San Sebastián International Film Festival.
- September 26 (scheduled): Screening at the New York Film Festival.
What’s Next: Upcoming Screenings
The documentary is slated to appear at San Sebastián on September 23 and New York on September 26, potentially expanding its international exposure despite Israeli officials’ objections.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It’s shocking. We are fighting global antisemitic incitement and when it comes from within us it is intolerable,” — Benjamin Netanyahu
- “Based on what has been published thus far, this is not a film offering criticism of the IDF, nor is it an attempt to establish the truth. It is based on blood libels, deliberate distortions of reality, and grave, false accusations against IDF soldiers and commanders,” — Eyal Zamir
- “I will act immediately to revoke the Israeli citizenship of these despicable creators for treason against the state,” — Miki Zohar