Culture Minister Miki Zohar has warned the Oscar‑winning Israeli co‑directors of the documentary Naza that their citizenship could be revoked for what he calls treason. The film, which accuses the Israeli army of mass civilian killings in Gaza, was produced by the UK’s Guardian newspaper and premiered at the Venice Film Festival last week.
In a post on X, Zohar said he had asked authorities to investigate how the materials were obtained and whether the filmmakers had aided the enemy during wartime. In a letter to the Interior Ministry he rejected the film’s claims as "false and distorted" and cited the Citizenship Law, which allows revocation for a "breach of allegiance to the State of Israel".
The directors, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, have not yet responded. They won an Oscar last year for No Other Land, a documentary on violence by Jewish settlers in the West Bank. Naza details AI‑powered targeting systems used by the IDF to bombard Gaza, where more than 73,000 Palestinians, including over 20,000 children, have been killed since the Hamas‑led attack on 7 October 2023.
Other Israeli politicians have condemned the film, with former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett calling it a "horrific blood libel" and former Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman calling the directors "haters of Israel". Over 700 members of the film industry signed a petition supporting the filmmakers, arguing they are being vilified.
The IDF has issued a statement saying the film is not yet fully released and invites the directors to allow IDF representatives to view it in full to address the allegations. The controversy has sparked debate over freedom of expression and the limits of criticism of the Israeli military.
