Kenneth Glad
Art and politics often collide. But sometimes a single movie touches such a raw nerve that the fallout reaches the highest levels of government. Now, a celebrated project has sparked a fierce storm.
Two Israeli filmmakers won a major prize at the Venice film festival last week. The crowd responded with a massive standing ovation.
Titled NAZA, the documentary examines military actions in Gaza. It highlights interviews with twenty-four different insiders.
The title itself comes from a stark military acronym. Intelligence officers use the term to estimate the civilian death toll before launching an airstrike.
On camera, insiders explain how artificial intelligence actually runs these targeting programs. According to The Guardian, those bombardments have already claimed tens of thousands of lives.
Threats from the top
Back home, the reaction was swift and hostile. Israeli culture minister Miki Zohar condemned directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor in a post on X.
Zohar accused the pair of trying to “harm their homeland in order to receive applause from antisemites around the world”. He then issued a specific threat.
“I will act immediately to revoke the Israeli citizenship of these despicable creators for treason against the state,” Zohar stated online.
Other politicians joined the outrage. Far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted on X, “You are a disgrace and an embarrassment to the entire people of Israel. Go away!”
Stripping a passport
Revoking someone’s nationality is possible under local law. However, The Guardian points out that authorities rarely use this severe measure in practice.
The filmmakers are no strangers to this pressure. Angry crowds targeted Abraham’s family home earlier this year following the release of their previous Oscar-winning movie.
Speaking to reporters, Abraham acknowledged his unique position. “We’re taking risks in a system that privileges us, that has Jewish-Israeli supremacy as its founding characteristic,” he said.
He noted that a Palestinian journalist attempting the exact same work would face far worse consequences.
Denials and support
Military officials initially pushed back against the documentary. They claimed the army “categorically rejects” the allegations and questioned the anonymous sources.
Later, the military adjusted its tone. A follow-up statement, according to the British newspaper, noted that “the allegations required a detailed, evidence-based response rather than a blanket dismissal”.
The local newspaper Haaretz has published an editorial urging citizens to face the harsh realities shown on screen.
The current war began in October 2023. According to PBS, the heavy fighting has claimed over 73,000 lives in Gaza.
Sources: The Guardian, PBS, Haaretz, X posts
