Israeli Culture Minister Threatens to Strip Filmmakers of Citizenship Over Venice Prize

Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar has threatened to strip filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor of their citizenship after the two won a special jury prize at the Venice Film Festival for a documentary about Israeli airstrikes killing Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

The film, called "NAZA" — a Hebrew acronym said to be used for counting the estimated number of civilians to be killed in a military strike — contains interviews with Israeli intelligence operatives behind the attacks.

Israel's military denies deliberately targeting civilians.

What did the culture minister and others say?

Zohar said Abraham and Szor were "willing to harm their homeland in order just to get applause from antisemites around the world."

"I will act immediately to revoke the Israeli citizenship of these despicable creators for treason against the state," Zohar wrote on X.

Far-right Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir also used the platform for a post in which he called the two filmmakers "a disgrace and an embarrassment" to Israel.

The revocation of nationality is legally possible in Israel, with the Supreme Court confirming in 2022 that the state may strip people of their nationality for acts of "disloyalty" such as espionage or treason.

What does the film 'NAZA' show?

For "NAZA," Abraham and Szor spoke to 24 Israeli military or intelligence personnel in nighttime interviews on rooftops in Tel Aviv.

Those interviewed gave details on the AI-powered targeting systems used to bombard Gaza in Israel's offensive in retaliation for the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, which killed around 1,200 people in Israel.

According to figures by Gaza officials, which are considered to be broadly reliable by the UN, more than 73,000 Palestinian people, including 20,000 children, have been killed in Israeli attacks since the operation began.

Abraham said "the Israeli intelligence officers we spoke with talked to us about how this mass killing is systemic: not by accident, but by design, actions of murder and policies that are based on the total dehumanization of Palestinians."

The Israeli army has rejected allegations made in the 80-minute film, among other things criticizing the use of anonymous testimonies and saying the identities of the whistleblowers could not be verified.