Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar has announced plans to strip filmmakers Rachel Szor and Yuval Abraham of their Israeli citizenship, citing what he characterized as state treason following their documentary’s award win at the Venice Film Festival.
Venice Film Festival Recognition and Controversy
Rachel Szor and Yuval Abraham received the jury’s special prize at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday evening for their documentary film, titled NAZA. The work centers on the military strategy employed by the Israel Defense Forces during the ongoing Gaza conflict. During its premiere at the festival, the documentary drew a 25-minute standing ovation from attendees.
The film investigates the operational systems behind military actions in the Gaza Strip. Abraham interviewed 24 members of the Israeli intelligence apparatus, using digital voice distortion and shadowed visuals to obscure their identities. The interviewed personnel discuss target selection procedures and the calculations surrounding acceptable civilian casualties.
Government Reactions and Treason Allegations
Following the award announcement, Culture Minister Miki Zohar took to the platform X to condemn the filmmakers. Zohar wrote that the directors exhibited a “devastating self-hatred” and a readiness to harm their home country to secure applause from critics worldwide, describing their actions as state treason.
Zohar, a member of the ruling right-conservative Likud party alongside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stated that he would take immediate measures to revoke their citizenship. Similarly, far-right Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir criticized the directors on X, calling them a disgrace to the Israeli public.
Legal Precedents and Practical Implementation
In February, Israel utilized a specific law for the first time to strip two convicted criminals of their citizenship and order their deportation. That legislation applies strictly to attackers who receive financial backing from the Palestinian Authority.
Military Response and Background Context
The Israel Defense Forces rejected the documentary’s assertions, criticizing the production for relying on anonymous sources whose credentials and identities cannot be independently verified. Regarding allegations concerning the use of artificial intelligence in targeting, military officials emphasized that all strike authorization and target selection decisions are made exclusively by human personnel.
The documentary itself opens by referencing the events of October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants launched an attack inside Israel that resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and the abduction of more than 250 hostages into Gaza. That assault initiated the current conflict. According to figures from the Hamas-controlled health ministry in the Gaza Strip, more than 73,600 Palestinians have been killed since military operations began.
Next Steps and Official Updates
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