Israeli Minister Moves to Strip Citizenship From 'NAZA' Documentary Directors
Israel's culture minister Miki Zohar said he will work to revoke the citizenship of filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor over their documentary 'NAZA,' which alleges the IDF systematically targets civilians in Gaza. Zohar called the film treasonous, while the documentary won a Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival. The filmmakers say they intend to release the film widely in Israel, the U.S., and Germany.
The documentary features testimony from 24 Israeli military officers who describe what they allege are systematic protocols for targeting civilians in Gaza. Its title derives from the Israeli military's own acronym for civilian casualties. The film received no Israeli public funding, with partial support coming from The Guardian newspaper.
This marks the second confrontation between Zohar and the filmmakers. Their previous collaboration, *No Other Land*, won the Oscar for best documentary but was never commercially released in Israeli or Palestinian cinemas. Zohar has since overhauled Israel's film financing system, redirecting public money away from politically sensitive independent projects toward commercially oriented productions.
This dispute highlights growing tensions between artistic expression and state funding in Israel. The minister's actions could have a chilling effect on filmmakers addressing politically sensitive topics, potentially narrowing the range of stories told through Israeli cinema. The case may also influence international perceptions of press and creative freedom in Israel, affecting cultural exchange and distribution deals abroad. Audiences in Israel, the U.S., and Germany could ultimately determine the film's reach and impact.