Directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, producers Jonathan Glazer and James Wilson attend a photo-call for the documentary "NAZA" at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, in Venice, Italy, on Sept. 10, 2026. (Credit: Yves Herman/Reuters)
Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar announced on Sunday his intention to strip the filmmakers of the recently-released documentary film "NAZA," which accuses Israel of mass civilian killing in Gaza, of their citizenship. He said he had requested the interior ministry to consider revoking the citizenship of the two filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor on account of "treason."
“I will act immediately to revoke [their] Israeli citizenship,” declared Zohar on X. "NAZA" won a special jury prize at this year's Venice Film Festival, held Saturday. The minister accused the filmmakers of wanting to “harm their homeland in order to receive applause from anti-Semites around the world,” which, he added, constitutes “treason against the state.”
Other ministers on Sunday evening attacked the filmmakers, two investigative journalists who had previously collaborated on the Oscar-winning documentary "No Other Land" (2024), about the violence perpetrated by Israeli 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 declared on X. "I am certain that your friends, namely our enemies Hamas in Gaza, will welcome you with open arms," the far-right minister continued.
Revocation of citizenship is legally possible in Israel, although rarely applied. In 2022, the Supreme Court upheld the state's ability to strip citizenship from individuals deemed disloyal, such as those who have committed acts of espionage or treason. The law was further broadened in 2023 to include individuals convicted of "terrorism." In practice, the process requires a request from the interior ministry, approval from the justice ministry, and validation by judges.
The documentary "NAZA" is based on the anonymous testimonies of 24 members of the Israeli army and intelligence services who reveal how Israel systematically kills civilians in Gaza.
In the 80-minute documentary, the interviewees describe how various technological systems, including artificial intelligence, have enabled the Israeli army to locate suspected "Hamas members" and their families via their phones, and then indiscriminately strike them in their homes.
According to the documentary, "NAZA" is an acronym used within the Israeli army to refer to the estimated number of civilians killed in a strike. One of the interviewees explains that the military has access to a tool that allows them to determine, for each residence in Gaza, how many people are present and will therefore be affected in the event of a bombing.
After the film's preview screening in Venice, where it received a 25-minute standing ovation, the Israeli army defended itself by "categorically" rejecting accusations that it was mass-killing civilians in Gaza.
In a post on X, Zohar also said he had asked authorities to "investigate how the materials were obtained, who is behind them, and whether in the process of obtaining or publishing them, actions were taken that amount to aiding the enemy during wartime."
"Freedom of expression is not a license to betray the state. Anyone who acts against Israel during wartime should know that there will be a price to pay," Zohar wrote.
The Israeli military has criticized the use of anonymous testimonies in the film, and contested a claim made by one interviewee that the army approved an airstrike in which 500 civilians were killed.
"The filmmakers couldn't possibly verify this claim, there is no real supporting evidence, and yet they published it anyway. Additionally, nothing about the interviewee, not his service nor his role can be independently checked and verified," the military said in a statement on Monday. The Israeli military notoriously lies about its crimes against Palestinians.
In Abraham's acceptance speech, he specified: "The Israeli intelligence officers we spoke with talked to us about how this mass killing is systemic: not by accident, but by design."
Israel has killed over 73,000 people in Gaza since it launched its genocidal war on Palestine in October 2023.
